Sky brings remote control app to Android devices

5 Feb 2013

Android users will from today be able to use their smartphones or tablets to control their Sky+ HD set-top boxes. The functionality, which has been available on iOS devices for a few months now, allows users to use their smart devices to pause, play and rewind TV with a swipe of a finger.

Sky TV customers can also now manage their planners through the new Sky+ Android app, allowing them to add and delete recordings they have stored on their Sky+ HD set-top boxes, without interrupting viewing on the main TV.

To use the service, users just need to connect their Sky+ HD boxes to the same Wi-Fi network as their Android devices.

Other useful  features of the app include being able to browse the entire week’s TV through a user-friendly TV Guide, remote record both individual programmes and entire series, get recommendations of other programmes, and manage recording clashes.

On Demand listings will join the Android app later this year, Sky said today.

The broadcaster also revealed that the free Sky+ app has been downloaded more than 5m times across the UK and Ireland.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com