An update to the Sky+ app for iPhone lets users use their app to change the channels on their Sky+ box, as well as pause, play and rewind TV with a swipe or tap of their fingers.
Many users of the Sky+ service can already use these gestures to control their Sky+ box via their Apple iPads.
In order to use the app, which also lets users swipe their way through their planners, users need to ensure their Sky+ HD box is connected to the same Wi-Fi router as their iOS device.
Other useful features of the app include being able to browse the entire week’s TV from a smartphone through a user-friendly TV guide, as well as remote record both individual programmes and entire series through the app while away from home – meaning Sky customers never need miss a single episode of their favourite TV show or series ever again.
In recent weeks, Sky brought its On Demand interactive service into the Irish market. The new interactive service, which involves plugging a Wi-Fi device into your Sky+ HD box, delivers thousands of hours of TV boxsets, sports and documentaries, as well as thousands of movies direct to households via the internet.
Enabling the second screen experience
The Sky+ app, which was launched in 2009, has been downloaded more than 5m times and attracts more than 1.2m unique users each month.
This is in addition to the Sky Go app, which lets users access up to 43 channels live through their iPhones, iPads, iPod touches and selected Android phones.
“People use their phones as a one-stop-shop to manage virtually every aspect of their lives – whether organising their diaries, checking their bank balances or paying bills – so why not use it to control their TV, too?” said Bradley Jones, brand director for TV products at Sky.
“Having received great feedback about these features when we introduced them to the Sky+ app for iPad earlier this year, it’s great to now be making them available on iPhone, too, which is obviously the ideal size for use as a remote control.”
