Sony announced a cloud-based TV service called PlayStation Vue that will let users watch live TV and on-demand content without a cable or satellite service/provider.
A beta for PlayStation Vue is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 owners this month, said Sony. The beta will include 75 channels per market, with North America getting the likes of CBS, Fox, Viacom and NBC. The price for the service was not given, but Sony promised a "fair and competetive. There's also going to be no contract; Vue will be offered on a month-to-month basis without penalty for cancelling.
There are plans for a commercial launch in the first quarter of 2015, and an iPad version will be released soon after the PlayStation console beta.
Andrew House, president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment — as well as having the best damn speaking voice in the industry — said, "PlayStation Vue reinvents the traditional viewing experience so your programming effortlessly finds you, enabling you to watch much more of what you want and search a lot less.
"PlayStation Vue brings the best of live TV and a robust catalog of the latest content, always keeping you connected to what's popular, new and trending. Today's announcement builds on the historic success of PlayStation 4 and demonstrates what our company is capable of when we embrace disruption and stay true to gamers."
The list of channels from Sony includes:
- CBS owned and operated TV stations in addition to on-demand prime-time programming.
- Discovery Communications, including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, OWN, and more.
- Fox, including FX, FXX, FXM, National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD, Fox Sports national and regional programming services like Fox Sports 1 and 2, BTN, YES Network and Prim Ticket.
- NBCUnicversal give all local offerings from NBC, Telemundo, regional sports networks, Bravo, CNBC, E!, Oxygen, Sprout, Cyfy, USA and more.
- Scripps Networks Interactive gives HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network and Cooking Channel.
- Viacom brings BET, CMT, MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Palladia, Spike, VH1 and more.
You'll notice that the deal doesn't include anything from Disney, which owns ABC and ESPN. So that might be a deal breaker for families with young children or those that can't do without their sports. Also missing is Time Warner, which owns Turner and their channels like Cartoon Network, CNN, TNT, TBS and more. And of course, HBO is missing.
Image courtesy of USA Today.
