Sony is about to make its first real push into the streaming television arena with PlayStation Vue, a new service that will bring streaming video and other content to its PlayStation gaming consoles, and other devices, such as the iPad.
A list of Sony’s network partners, with additional partners to be announced in the future:
- CBS – At launch, PlayStation Vue will offer the live linear signal from CBS Television Network’s owned-and-operated TV stations in select leading markets in addition to on-demand prime-time programming.
- Discovery Communications – Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Discovery Family Channel and 11 more brands.
- Fox – Fox Networks Group’s portfolio of national entertainment programming services, including – FX, FXX, FXM, National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD. Additionally FOX Sports’ national and regional programming services – FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, BTN, Fox’s regional sports networks, including YES Network and Prime Ticket. The agreement also covers Fox’s owned and operated television stations.
- NBCUniversal – All local offerings from NBC, Telemundo and regional sports networks as well as Bravo, CNBC, E!, NBCSN, Oxygen, Sprout, Syfy, USA Network and more.
- Scripps Networks Interactive – HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network and Cooking Channel.
- Viacom – BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, PALLADIA, Spike, VH1 and more.
Pricing for the service has not been announced, Sony will merely state that the service’s fee will be “fair and competitive.”
PlayStation™Vue leverages the power of the cloud to combine the live, on-demand, and catch-up TV content viewers love with a powerful user interface that delivers unprecedented personalization and simplicity.
- PlayStation™Vue immediately connects viewers to the content they want to watch, helps them easily access their favorite shows and channels, and recommends movies and shows based on their viewing habits and what’s trending.
- Discovering content is both simple and powerful with PlayStation™Vue. The smart “Search” feature narrows down results quickly and intuitively, and the powerful “Explore” function allows viewers to filter the entire catalog of live and on-demand content by type of program, genre, ratings, popularity, length and more.
- PlayStation™Vue delivers catch-up and on-demand TV, freeing viewers to watch TV on their own schedules. The service makes the past three days of popular programming available without the need to schedule recordings.
- Viewers can save their favorite shows to the cloud without storage restrictions or scheduling conflicts. Once viewers tag a favorite show, they will automatically have access to episodes of that show for 28 days so that they can watch on their own time.
- PlayStation™Vue is simple to navigate and intuitive to use. By leveraging the power of the PlayStation® platform and controller, viewers are always one click away from quick access to watching, finding, and discovering content.
PlayStation Vue will operate as an invite only beta preview during November for select PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 owners in New York, soon to be followed by rollouts in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. The service will also become available on the iPad shortly thereafter, and later on other devices.
PlayStation Vue is expected to launch commercially during the first quarter of 2015.
