Sky Q
Sky Q is a subscription-based satellite television and entertainment service operated by British provider Sky, as part of its operations in Austria and Germany, Ireland, Italy and in the UK. The name also refers to the Sky Q set-top box.
Sky Q launched in 2016 replacing the previous Sky+ and Sky X services. Sky Q has been referred to as a "multimedia platform" that combines conventional television with on-demand and catch-up services, as well as third-party services. It includes a PVR set top box, a multiroom set top box, a dedicated broadband-connected "hub", and applications for mobile and desktop devices. As of April 2018, Sky Q was in 2.5 million homes in the UK, Ireland and Italy. In July 2018, Sky reported that there were 3.6 million Sky Q customers.
As of 9th December 2025, Sky Q is no longer available to purchase online as it begins to be replaced fully by the IPTV streaming platforms Sky Stream and Sky Glass, marking the end of satellite television sales for new Sky customers after 35 years.
Launch
Sky Q was first announced by Sky UK in January 2016, and was released in the UK in March 2016.Sky did not roll out Sky Q in Germany, Austria and Italy immediately, but released a modified version of the Sky Q set top box by Autumn 2016, named Sky+ Pro in Germany and Austria, and My Sky in Italy. Like Sky Q, the box is capable of UHD resolution and has a built-in Wi-Fi router, but it omits significant Sky Q features. Sky Italia later launched Sky Q in Italy in November 2017, and Sky Deutschland did so in Germany and Austria in May 2018. In contrast to the UK, Ireland and Italy, existing customers in Germany and Austria could receive Sky Q through a free software update on existing Sky+ Pro receivers.
Hardware
The Sky Q "Silver" set top box has a 2 terabyte hard disk and 12 satellite tuners, allowing up to six live TV channels to be recorded while watching a seventh. The box is capable of receiving and displaying 4K resolution "ultra-high-definition" broadcasts, which were started by Sky in the UK in August 2016.The standard Sky Q box has 1 terabyte of storage and 8 tuners, supporting broadcasts up to 1080p. A third box, Sky Q Mini, acts as a secondary device without tuners or hard drives that merely networks to the main box to allow the Sky Q service to be used in other rooms, and can also be used as a Wi-Fi "extender" to provide stable broadband connections.
The Sky Q remote control is fully redesigned compared to the earlier Sky+ and Sky+ HD versions, and has a large touchpad for scrolling and selecting within the user interface. The latest version of the remote does not feature a touch interface anymore.
Software
Using the Sky Q apps designed for the Android and iOS operating systems, Sky Q recordings at home can be watched on mobile devices on the go. Sky Q also offers access to box sets on Sky Store. In 2019, Sky teamed up with Netflix to offer that service with Sky Q for £3 per month, cheaper than a standard Netflix subscription, called "Ultimate On Demand". Disney+ is also fully integrated in Sky Q.In August 2017, Sky added Dolby Atmos sound support on Sky Q. High-dynamic-range broadcasts began on 27 May 2020.
Sky Group signed the deal with ViacomCBS to launch Paramount+ in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria by 2022. The app is available on Sky Q, with Sky Cinema subscribers having access to Paramount+ at no charge.
Sky Q over Internet
In January 2017, Sky plc's earnings report for 2016 indicated that it would launch a dish-less version of Sky Q service delivered through broadband Internet, with UK rollout projected for 2018. No further developments on the UK rollout have emerged since then.The Austrian version, named Sky X, was launched in March 2019, replacing a version of Now TV operated in the country as Sky Ticket. The Italian version, named Sky Q Fibra, was launched in September 2019; unlike the Austrian Sky X, the Italian Sky Q Fibra co-exists with Now TV. Both Austrian and Italian Internet television services slightly differ from Sky Q satellite service in terms of features.
On 27 September 2019, Sky announced a new streaming box called Sky Stream, which launched on 18 October 2022. This however is now the new main option asides from Sky Glass, with Sky Q being phased out and becoming unavailable to purchase online.