Sky Glass is the revolutionary go-to-market concept that puts the Sky entertainment OS inside a private-labelled Smart TV, removing the need for a set-top box (and removing the requirement for a satellite dish, as it is a streaming-only solution). But Reglinski emphasised that Sky Glass is an experience that can be replicated on multiple endpoints, including streaming puck set-top boxes like Sky Stream. This device takes the Sky Glass UX onto any television set via HDMI.

Where a syndication partner intends to deliver the entertainment OS inside its own Smart TVs (the ‘Smarter than a Smart TV’ vision articulated in current UK consumer advertising), they order the television hardware via Sky, which leverages its now established supply chain. “The experience can be on Sky Glass hardware or Sky Stream – and we can look at putting the experience onto other compatible devices,” Reglinski reveals.

“[Syndication partner] operators can bring their own content, apps and their own brand to the experience. Very importantly, they retain the customer relationship and the billing relationship with their customers, and they are in control of the data and the monetisation of the platform,” Reglinski explained. “The integrations can be very bespoke, depending on the operator, but obviously there will be localisation [e.g., language, content, apps]. They might want a mobile companion app. Often operators want to control how they show content, how it is merchandised, and there is a lot of flexibility in the editorial tooling.”

Sky Glass is powered by the Comcast Global Technology Platform, which is also common to Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex (the streaming-only box that is bundled with broadband in the U.S.), Sky Q and XClass TV. XClass TV is another example of how a Pay TV operator builds its OS into a Smart TV, only this time it is the Comcast entertainment UX, and it is a third-party branded Smart TV maker that provides the hardware (i.e., Hisense models in the U.S.), sold in retail stores without the need for an Xfinity subscription (including outside of Comcast’s geographic service footprint).

Reglinski pointed to the scale of the Comcast Global Technology Platform: 75 million [broadband and streaming] connected devices are running off this now, with 40m voice commands processed a day, as an example of scale for just one advanced feature (voice search and command). The American MVPD Cox and the Canadian BDUs Shaw, Rogers and Videotron are already syndication partners for the Global Technology Platform, with Cox making use of the X1 OS/UX since late 2015.

The Syndication of Sky Glass has already begun, with Foxtel in Australia and Multichoice in South Africa signed up. “Foxtel was the first and they signed up even before the Sky Glass launch in the UK,” Reglinski confirms. “We are currently in the process of getting them onto the platform.”

Why is the Sky/Comcast group syndicating Sky Glass in the first place, given it has significant scale for its tech platform and development already? According to Reglinski, “A lot of Pay TV operators and telcos face the same challenges we do, and there is an opportunity for global MVPDs [Pay TV operators] to power their entertainment and connectivity services via our platform. We are excited by the chance to bring this [Sky Glass] experience to as many consumers as possible.

“Secondly, platform scale benefits everyone. The more investment we make in our platform the more innovation we can drive, and the more consumers and operators benefit globally.” She says syndication partners find this appealing, given the need to keep ahead of consumers, who are becoming more demanding.

“It is important that this is not a standard technology relationship,” she added. “We are developing true partnerships here, and the [syndication] customers we bring into our system want flexibility, including how they talk to their consumers, and they get quite a lot of control on how that is done.”

Reglinski views the Sky Glass model as a new market opportunity for syndication partners. “We’ve learnt from our own markets that if you launch a proposition that is rooted in true consumer insight and simplicity and you take that to market in a way that talks to consumers, you can break into a new segment and drive customer satisfaction. There are lots of learnings from the Sky and Comcast go-to-market approaches and operators are really interested in us sharing those learnings and helping them to drive their business objectives.

“This is not a point-in-time purchase – you are buying into a roadmap and benefit from all the investments and innovations that we introduce for our own consumers over time. Even in ‘live’ we get unique requests from partners, and we consider those as we develop the platform. And of course, there is live operational support.”

Michelle Reglinski was speaking at Connected TV World Summit.

The streaming service offers titles from across Disney’s brands, including Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and general entertainment brand Star (with content from 20th Century Studios, Disney Television Studios, FX, Searchlight Pictures, and more.)

Subscribed Foxtel customers will have access to a range of drama, action and reality content, including shows such as Only Murder in the Building, The Kardashians, FX’s The Old Man and Grey’s Anatomy. Other popular titles on Disney+ include Encanto, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Lightyear, and Marvel Studio’s Moon Knight.

Amanda Laing, Chief Content and Commercial Officer, Foxtel Group, said: “We’re committed to delivering the ultimate destination for entertainment and streaming, all in one place and so we’re thrilled to be adding to our apps with Disney+, the home of much-loved and globally recognised entertainment brands.

“Through the Disney+ app integration, Foxtel subscribers can access their Disney+ subscription to the deep and rich catalogue of Disney+ content spanning the fantastical worlds of popular family movies and TV shows, to hugely popular, addictive, and gripping dramas, comedies, reality and more for adult audiences.”

Kylie Watson-Wheeler, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company in Australia and New Zealand, commented: “We’re excited to add Disney+ on Foxtel iQ devices which makes a Disney+ subscription seamlessly accessible on this platform.

“This innovation means Foxtel customers can conveniently expand their viewing experience to enjoy our world’s-best entertainment and content for all ages, with an ever-growing catalogue, exciting new releases, exclusive original content, and more on Disney+.”

The solution combines language recognition, an understanding of naturally spoken responses and machine-learning powered insights that will allow Foxtel to refine the experience. “The voice search innovation allows our viewers to use natural, voice-based queries to discover content across channels and devices, taking their entertainment experience to the next level,” confirms Nick Dandy, Director of Product Innovation at Foxtel.