Sony Europe today announced that customers can now access the Apple TV app on select Sony smart TVs to enjoy Apple TV+, Apple TV channels, new and popular movies, and personalised and curated recommendations. The Apple TV app will begin rolling out today in Europe on Sony’s XH90 series via a software update.
The Apple TV app brings together all the ways to watch shows and movies in one place. The app features Apple TV+, Apple’s new video subscription service offering original shows, movies and documentaries from the world’s most creative storytellers, including ‘The Morning Show,’ ‘See,’ ‘Defending Jacob,’ ‘Ted Lasso,’ ‘Greyhound,’ ‘The Banker,’ ‘Boys State’ and ‘Beastie Boys Story.’ Also on the Apple TV app, customers can subscribe to Apple TV channels and watch ad-free and on demand, directly on the Apple TV app. Through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share subscriptions to Apple TV channels using their personal Apple ID and password.
Sony’s smart TVs provide users with easy access to a range of content and services. With Sony’s best-in-class family of X1 processors, TRILUMINO Display and immersive sound features, customers can experience content just as the creator intended with the Apple TV app. Sony’s smart TV users can browse the Apple TV app to buy or rent more than 100,000 movies and TV shows, including titles available in 4K HDR and with Dolby Atmos, as well as enjoy personalised and curated recommendations and access their library of movie and TV show purchases from Apple. Select Sony TVs also support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. With AirPlay 2, customers can effortlessly play videos and other content from their iPhone, iPad or Mac directly to their smart TV. HomeKit allows customers to easily and securely control Sony’s smart TVs using the Home app or by asking Siri on their Apple devices.
Customers can subscribe to Apple TV+ on the Apple TV app on Sony’s smart TVs, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac and other platforms, including at tv.apple.com, for €4.99/£4.99 per month. For a limited time, customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch or Mac can enjoy one year of Apple TV+ for free.
The Apple TV app will launch on Sony’s select 2018 TV models and most 2019 and 2020 models by the end of the year.
The Now TV app is now available on Sony BRAVIA Android TVs in the UK and Ireland. The Now TV app gives customers access to their range of new and original British comedies, Oscar, BAFTA, and Emmy award winning dramas, Sky originals and movies, and all without a contract.
Sony’s Android TV with the Google Assistant, Google Play Store and Chromecast built-in, offers users easy access to content, services and devices via its extensive platform. To download the Now TV app, simply head to the Google Play Store on your Sony TV.
Sony has announced the start of pre-orders for its newest MASTER Series A9 4K HDR OLED television in Europe. The A9 combines Sony’s high-end innovations in the fields of picture processing and sound for a striking, robust audio-visual amalgam encased in compact 48” to fit even the smallest living room.
Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate is at the heart of the A9’s prowess – it
precisely analyses image data to bring out the intense contrast of OLED with pure blacks, peak brightness and truly realistic pictures. The TV also features Pixel Contrast Booster, which enhances colour and contrast in bright areas so you can enjoy scenes full of lifelike shades and hues, more depth, fine texture and the pure black contrast that only OLED can deliver. Also, the A9 incorporates Sony’s own X-Motion Clarity™ technology, ensuring that even fast action stays smooth and clear. Moving images are precisely controlled to minimise blur so that pictures remain true with less loss in brightness during high speed scenes.
The A9 TV maintains Sony’s legacy of delivering a truly immersive audio-visual experience with the use of Acoustic Surface Audio, which turns the TV screen into a speaker. Two innovative actuators behind the screen vibrate discreetly to create sound, so what you hear comes from the place in the scene where the action is happening – dialogue from characters, engine noise from a car. This ties-in with Sony’s super-slim one slate design where screen meets the edge of the TV, immersing you in the picture without distraction. A powerful subwoofer is subtly integrated into the rear of the TV to create more dynamic, bass-heavy sound – ideal for action movies and music.
The new A9 TV continues to deliver the creator’s intent with Netflix Calibrated Mode. This mode was specially developed to enjoy Netflix originals and reproduce the same picture quality on a TV as on a studio evaluation master. With Netflix Calibrated Mode, the creator’s vision and intent is faithfully preserved. Further, the A9 is an IMAX® Enhanced™ product, ready to meet high-quality colour, contrast, clarity and sound, allowing to enjoy a fully immersive at-home entertainment experience that takes full advantage of IMAX Enhanced content.
Sony’s MASTER Series A9 4K HDR OLED TV features Ambient Optimization, a new technology that optimises picture and sound quality in any customer environment. It will automatically adjust the picture brightness to the ambient light in the room, boosting the brightness in bright rooms and reducing in dark rooms for the perfect view. It even detects objects in the room, such as curtains and furniture that can absorb or reflect sound, fine-tuning the acoustics so your sound isn’t compromised.
The A9 features Android TV™ with the Google Assistant, Google Play Store and Chromecast built-in, which offers users easy access to content, services and devices via its extensive platform. Sony’s original user interface menus and voice controls are also enhanced for better daily use. With the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa enabled devices, you may cast and control videos from YouTube with Google Home or change the channel or volume with Amazon Alexa enabled devices. Apple® AirPlay® 2 users can stream movies, music, games and photos to their television right from their iPhone®, iPad® or Mac®. The Apple HomeKit™ technology provides an easy, secure way for users to control their television from their iPhone®, iPad® or Mac®.
Pricing and availability
Sony MASTER Series A9 4K HDR OLED TV is available for pre-order now in the UK and Ireland for £1799 and €2149.
Sony MASTER Series A9 4K HDR OLED TV: Key features
Small and central aluminium stand provides users with flexibility in smaller spaces
Offers best-in-class picture quality in a smaller size
Includes Sony’s premium OLED TV features, including Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate, Pixel Contrast Booster and Acoustic Surface Audio™
X-Motion Clarity for OLED: This revolutionary, highly-acclaimed best-in-class technology from Sony will now be available for OLED, refining action on the screen in real time to make it brighter, clearer and more fluid than ever before for an unparalleled sports viewing experience
New Ambient Optimization optimises picture and sound quality in any customer environment. It will automatically adjust the picture brightness to the ambient light in the room, boosting the brightness in bright rooms and reducing in dark rooms for the perfect view
TRILUMINOS™ Display reproduces the subtle nuances of colour, light and gradation from video lens to living room
Dolby Vision™ and Dolby Atmos™ compatible
Works with Smart Speakers, including Google Home and Amazon Alexa enabled devices
Easy connectivity to most devices, including Apple® AirPlay® 2, HomeKit™
Quick access to an array of content and services with Android TV
Netflix Calibrated Mode ensures cinematic fidelity for the viewing experience on Netflix. Developed by Sony picture quality engineers in collaboration with Netflix colour scientists, Netflix Calibrated Mode delivers picture quality approaching that of a master monitor used for standard reference in motion picture production studios.
An IMAX® Enhanced™ product, ready to meet high-quality colour, contrast, clarity and sound. Take comfort in knowing you’ll be enjoying a fully immersive at-home entertainment experience on this TV that takes full advantage of IMAX Enhanced content.
Custom Mode, along with Sony’s other calibrated viewing modes, provides various viewing options to suit customers’ tastes while faithfully preserving the creator’s intent
Pure Telecom, Ireland’s high-speed broadband and telecoms provider, today announces that it is entering the triple-play market through a partnership with TV service provider, Netgem. To mark the partnership, which represents Netgem’s largest distribution partnership in Ireland so far, Pure Telecom is revealing insights from a national survey of 1,000 Irish adults, conducted in July 2020. It found that the majority of the Irish population is now paying for a video streaming service, with the average adult spending €18.91 per month on streaming services.
Pure Telecom will tap into this lucrative market by giving Irish viewers access to Netgem’s range of live and on-demand content through broadband and TV bundles starting at €43. Subscribers will be able to access live TV from Saorview channels, along with 20 additional channels. They will also have access to streaming services from providers including YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, All4 and Plex, as well as ad-free kids’ TV provider Hopster. The service is integrated with Alexa voice control.
Pure Telecom’s research found that some 81% of Irish adults are currently paying for at least one streaming service. And, it found that the COVID-19 lockdown caused 34% of Irish adults to increase the amount they spend on streaming channels.
The survey revealed that the average Irish adult spends 13 hours, 35 minutes watching streaming channels each week. That figure increases to 15 hours 28 minutes per week for Millennials and 14 hours, 25 minutes for Gen Z.
According to the survey, residents in Carlow watch the most streamed content at 19 hours, 23 minutes per week. That is followed by Louth (18 hours, 12 minutes) and Wicklow (17 hours, 26 minutes). Offaly and Sligo residents, meanwhile, clock up the least amount of time watching streaming channels at 9 hours, 23 minutes per week. That is followed by Monaghan (10 hours, 30 minutes) and Kildare (11 hours, 54 minutes).
Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom
“At Pure Telecom, top-quality customer service along with extremely competitive prices have always been our priority. We are delighted to be partnering with Netgem to provide a genuine alternative for Irish viewers seeking both broadband and TV.”
Sylvain Thevenot, Chief Commercial & Customer Officer, Netgem, said: “Pure Telecom is a really strong local player in an Irish broadband market that is heating up rapidly. We are delighted to be working with them to reach new audiences in Ireland and showcase how quickly and easily ISPs can launch compelling TV services via Netgem with a low overall investment.”
Sony has today announced the availability of its newest A8 4K HDR OLED televisions in Europe. Boasting an array of Sony’s cutting-edge innovations in picture processing and sound, the A8 delivers the acclaimed quality of the Japanese manufacturer.
The X1™ Ultimate Picture Processor is at the heart of the A8’s prowess. It precisely analyses image data to bring out the intense contrast of OLED with pure blacks, peak brightness and truly realistic pictures. The TV also features Pixel Contrast Booster, which enhances colour and contrast in bright areas so you can enjoy scenes full of lifelike shades and hues, more depth, fine texture and the pure black contrast that only OLED can deliver.
The A8 TVs continue Sony’s legacy of delivering a truly immersive audio-visual experience with the incorporation of Acoustic Surface Audio, which turns the TV screen into a speaker. An innovative actuator behind the screen vibrates discreetly to create sound so what you hear comes from the place in the scene where the action is happening – dialogue from characters or engine noise from a car. This ties-in with Sony’s super-slim one slate design where the screen meets the edge of the TV, immersing you in the picture without distraction. For extra punch, two subwoofers are discretely integrated into the rear of the TV to create more dynamic, bass-heavy sound – ideal for action movies and music.
The new A8 TVs continue to deliver the creator’s intent with Netflix Calibrated Mode. This mode was specially developed to enjoy Netflix originals and reproduce the same picture quality on a TV as on a studio evaluation master. With Netflix Calibrated Mode, the creator’s vision and intent is faithfully preserved. Furthermore, the A8 is an IMAX® Enhanced™ product, ready to meet high-quality colour, contrast, clarity and sound, creating a fully immersive at-home entertainment experience that takes full advantage of IMAX Enhanced content.
Sony’s A8 4K HDR OLED TVs feature Ambient Optimization, a new technology that optimises picture and sound quality in any customer environment. It will automatically adjust the picture brightness to the ambient light in the room, boosting the brightness in bright rooms and reducing in dark rooms for the perfect view. It even detects objects in the room, such as curtains and furniture that can absorb or reflect sound, fine-tuning the acoustics so your sound isn’t compromised.
The A8 line-up features Android TV™ with the Google Assistant , Google Play Store and Chromecast built-in, which offers users easy access to content, services and devices via its extensive platform. Sony’s original user interface menus and voice controls are also enhanced for better daily use. With the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa enabled devices, you may cast and control videos from a range of apps, such as Netflix or YouTube with Google Home or change the channel or volume with Amazon Alexa enabled devices. Apple® AirPlay® 2 users can stream movies, music, games and photos to their television right from their iPhone®, iPad® or Mac®. The Apple HomeKit™ technology provides an easy, secure way for users to control their television from their iPhone®, iPad® or Mac® .
Features Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate, providing the ultimate 4K HDR viewing experience with the following technologies: Object-based Super Resolution, Object-based HDR remaster, Super Bit Mapping™ 4K HDR and Dual database processing
Features Pixel Contrast Booster, with over eight million self-illuminating pixels and Sony-original panel controller for OLED that brings a significantly enriched visual experience with unprecedented black, authentic colour and a wide viewing angle
X-Motion Clarity for OLED: This revolutionary, highly-acclaimed best-in-class technology from Sony will now be available for OLED, refining action on the screen in real time to make it brighter, clearer and more fluid than ever before for an unparalleled sports viewing experience
Two subwoofers improve and enhance Acoustic Surface Audio™
Dolby Vision™ and Dolby Atmos™ compatible
New Ambient Optimization optimises picture and sound quality in any customer environment. It will automatically adjust the picture brightness to the ambient light in the room, boosting the brightness in bright rooms and reducing in dark rooms for the perfect view
TRILUMINOS™ Display reproduces the subtle nuances of colour, light and gradation from video lens to living room
Works with Smart Speakers, including Google Home and Amazon Alexa enabled devices
Easy connectivity to most devices, including Apple® AirPlay® 2, HomeKit™
Quick access to an array of content and services with Android TV
Netflix Calibrated Mode ensures cinematic fidelity for the viewing experience on Netflix. Developed by Sony picture quality engineers in collaboration with Netflix colour scientists, Netflix Calibrated Mode delivers picture quality approaching that of a master monitor used for standard reference in motion picture production studios.
An IMAX® Enhanced™ product, ready to meet high-quality colour, contrast, clarity and sound. Take comfort in knowing you’ll be enjoying a fully immersive at-home entertainment experience on this TV that takes full advantage of IMAX Enhanced content.
Custom Mode, along with Sony’s other calibrated viewing modes, provides various viewing options to suit customers’ tastes while faithfully preserving the creator’s intent
