More than three years after Sky first ventured into making its own TVs, the company has just unveiled Sky Glass Gen 2.
The new model promises to fix some of the main complaints about the original – with better picture quality, improved blacks, enhanced sound from a new seven-speaker system, and various other refinements. And it’s keeping the same price as before.
I’ve had a chance to spend some time with Sky Glass Gen 2 at the launch event, and while the improvements are definitely there, some are more noticeable than others.
The new Glass Gen 2 will be available from February 12, bringing upgrades like better viewing angles and a completely redesigned stand.
Sky also had a surprise up its sleeve – Sky Glass Air, a slimmer (and cheaper) model coming later this year.
So here’s everything you need to know about Sky’s new offerings – and my early impressions.
From Satellite Dishes to Streaming
When Sky launched the original Glass back in 2021, it was quite the revolution – for the first time in the company’s history, they were selling their own TV set, with Sky’s services built right in, and – perhaps most importantly – no satellite dish required.
Instead of the traditional Sky setup (dish on the wall, box under the TV, endless wires), Sky Glass works entirely over broadband. You get a 4K TV with a built-in Dolby Atmos soundbar, and everything you need is inside – just plug it into power and connect it to your WiFi.
The TV comes with Sky’s content packages built-in – from Sky’s own channels to streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video (with Max coming next year).
You can either buy the TV outright or spread the cost with interest-free monthly payments over 24 or 48 months, and then add your choice of content packages on top.
Along with Sky Stream (the streaming box that brings the same experience to any TV), it seems the streaming future is here to stay – according to Sky, 90% of their new customers are now choosing either Glass or Stream over the traditional Sky Q box (though Sky Q isn’t going anywhere just yet, with Sky promising to keep supporting it).
Therefore, after more than three years (that’s like three centuries in TV tech), it was finally time to upgrade Sky Glass – and that upgrade is here, with Sky Glass Gen 2.
What’s New With Sky Glass Gen 2?
The basic concept remains the same – a 4K TV with Sky’s services built-in and a fancy sound system all in one box. But there are some meaningful improvements under the hood.
Sky has also changed the name of its software platform. What was previously called Entertainment OS is now simply Sky OS.
According to Sky, they’ve been constantly updating the software based on how people actually use their TVs (not just what they say in focus groups), with voice commands being particularly popular – apparently, Sky Glass and Stream users issued a whopping 15 billion voice commands globally in the past year.
Better Picture – Better Blacks?
The new model comes with a brighter 4K Quantum Dot HDR display, and Sky has added more local dimming zones, which should mean better contrast and less of that annoying “blooming” effect around bright objects on dark backgrounds.
There’s also a new ambient light sensor that works together with dynamic gamma adjustment to improve contrast even further, and Sky says they’ve improved the colour accuracy as well.
For those who like their TVs extra bright (you know, like those eye-searing demos you see in shops), there’s even a new “Extra Vivid” picture mode, with very high contract and colour saturation.
Don’t worry though – this mode will also be available on the original Sky Glass via a software update.
The full list of picture modes now includes:
- Entertainment
- Movies
- Music
- Auto
- Vivid
- Extra Vivid
- Sport
Speaking of Auto mode – it’s meant to choose the best picture and sound settings based on what you’re watching.
Interestingly, it doesn’t actually look at what’s on screen – instead, it uses information it gets from the broadcasters about whether you’re watching sports, a movie, or something else.
Bigger Sound (With More Bass)
One of the biggest improvements in Gen 2 is the sound system. The built-in Dolby Atmos soundbar now has seven speakers (up from six), including:
- A new and improved dual subwoofer (because the bass was quite weak in the original model)
- Left, right and centre speakers
- Upward-firing speakers for that surround sound effect
Sky says they’ve particularly focused on making voices clearer, while trying to improve the bass – which was one of the main complaints about the original model (including from yours truly).
According to Sky’s Global Chief Product Officer Fraser Stirling, most people don’t have a soundbar at home and make do with their TV’s tiny built-in speakers.
So, including a proper sound system in Glass is meant to be a significant upgrade for most customers.
Technical Specifications
Sky Glass Gen 2 comes with a 4K Ultra HD Quantum Dot display (3840×2160 resolution) running at 60Hz refresh rate. The screen supports three major HDR formats – Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG, with 10-bit colour depth.
For connectivity, as before, you get three HDMI 2.1 ports with eARC support (on one of them) – but they’re still placed flat against the back of the TV, making them quite awkward to reach (especially if you wall-mount the TV).
And to make things even more complicated to reach – the power port moved to its own separate location on the left side of the TV’s back.
There’s also a USB-C port for power, a USB-A port that supports Common Interface+, and an aerial port for backup Freeview reception (which, as before, only works when there’s no broadband to deliver the channels).
The TV supports WiFi 6 for faster, more reliable streaming, as well as Bluetooth 5.2 and wired ethernet. Power consumption varies by size, with the 65″ model using up to 232W in HDR mode.
The remote has stayed the same as before.
Fresh Look, Easier Setup
Glass Gen 2 comes in the same three sizes as before – 43″, 55″ and 65″ – with three new colours: Volcanic Grey, Arctic Silver, and Atlantic Blue. The speaker fascia matches the TV’s colour, as does the remote.
They’ve also completely redesigned the stand, making it much easier to set up – now you just slide the TV onto it, no screws or tools needed. The TV is lighter this time around too (the original 65″ Glass was a proper heavyweight at 35kg with the stand – and is now 30.3kg with the stand).
If you prefer wall-mounting, there’s a new telescopic mount available for £99 that tilts, swivels and sits flush against the wall, though you can still use any standard TV mount.
The Streaming Future: Playlist vs Recording
One of the more controversial aspects of Sky Glass (and Stream) is how it handles recordings. Unlike Sky Q with its hard drive, Glass uses a “Playlist” system – press the + button on your remote, and shows are added to your playlist to stream later.
The Playlist is personalised – so you can set different profiles, one for each family member – along with a “main” profile.
When Glass first launched, Sky promoted the “Cloud Recording” feature, which has since taken a backseat – at least in Sky’s marketing.
The Cloud Recording feature records some channels and programmes that are not part of a supported streaming service.
When I asked about this at the launch event, Fraser Stirling said they believe in the Playlist system even more today than when Glass first launched.
According to him, there’s still quite a bit of recording happening behind the scenes (to Sky’s cloud), and they’ve expanded the number of channels they can record from.
However, “Customers don’t care what happens behind the scenes,” Fraser explained, “they just want to know that if they press Plus on their remote, the show will be there to watch.”
When asked about Freely, the new streaming replacement for Freeview, Fraser maintained a confident stance, saying that Sky is happy there are lots of services and advancements in the market – but they’re doing their own thing – and not waking up in the morning thinking about what the other guys are doing.
Say Hello to Sky Glass Air
Sky also announced a new addition to the family – Sky Glass Air, coming later this year.
Think of it as Glass’s slimmer cousin – it’ll come in the same three sizes but without the built-in soundbar, making it thinner (though not dramatically so) and cheaper.
One notable improvement in the Air model is the port placement – instead of being flat against the back like on Glass, the ports are side-mounted for easier access.
On the other hand – not having a totally flat back – means it won’t be as pretty when mounted on a wall.
While we don’t have all the technical details or pricing yet, we know it’ll run the same Sky OS and come in three colours of its own – Carbon Grey, Cotton White and Sea Green.
Pricing and Availability
Sky Glass Gen 2 keeps the same pricing as the original model. You can either buy it outright (Currently £699 for the 43″, £949 for the 55″, or £1,199 for the 65″), or spread the cost with interest-free monthly payments.
The monthly options are:
24-month payments:
- 43″ – £28/month (£20 upfront)
- 55″ – £38/month (£20 upfront)
- 65″ – £48/month (£20 upfront)
48-month payments:
- 43″ – £14/month (£20 upfront)
- 55″ – £19/month (£20 upfront)
- 65″ – £24/month (£20 upfront)
On top of the TV cost, you’ll need to choose a content package. The new Sky Essential TV pack starts at £15/month (on a 24-month contract) or £18/month (31-day contract), while Sky Ultimate TV costs £22/month (24-month) or £25/month (31-day).
Then there are the add-ons:
- UHD + Dolby Atmos: £6/month
- Ad Skipping: £6/month
- Whole Home (for additional rooms): £15/month
- Sky Sports: £31/month
- Sky Cinema: £13/month
- Sky Kids: £8/month
- TNT Sports: £31/month
As before, some add-ons cost less if you take the 24-month contract, vs the rolling 31-day contract.
Sky Glass 2 Hands-On Review: Better – But By How Much?
After spending some time with Sky Glass Gen 2 at the launch event, I can say the improvements are noticeable – though some more than others.
The sound system showed a lot of promise with the original Glass, but ended up being somewhat disappointing, particularly when it came to bass – even on the massive 65″ model.
At the demo event, it was hard to make a definitive judgment (being in a big room with lots of people), but the sound was noticeably clearer.
When they played A Star Is Born as part of the demo, the music quality was excellent, with impressive clarity. However, even with Bass Boost turned on, it still didn’t come close to having a proper dedicated subwoofer.
The picture quality improvements are there, but they’re subtle. The blacks, which were pretty poor on the original Glass (especially with all those dark HDR shows everyone seems to love filming these days), have been improved – but they’re still far from what you’d get with premium TVs.
The viewing angles are better too – you can now watch from the side without losing as much quality.
Having used the original Glass for the past three years, I can’t say the difference is dramatic, though it might be more noticeable when comparing them side by side in a normal living room rather than a well-lit demo space.
Sports content looks particularly impressive – mainly because it tends to be well-lit, and Glass Gen 2 really shines with bright content. So football fans will be happy, but if you’re watching moody dramas with everyone walking around in the dark, you might still find yourself squinting – just a bit less than before.
One disappointing omission is the lack of 120Hz refresh rate – it’s still 60Hz like the original. Fraser said they considered upgrading this but decided against it since it’s mainly for gamers and a more niche crowd – they wanted Glass to remain a product for the masses.
That said, many TVs at these price points already offer 120Hz…
With Gen 2’s launch, Sky will stop selling the first-gen Glass (though refurbished units will still be available for a while).
There are no upgrade or trade-in options for existing Glass owners – if you want Gen 2, you’ll need to buy it at full price.
And remember – if you’re still paying for your original Glass, you’ll need to keep paying those instalments even if you get the new one. That’s because the monthly payments are actually a loan you’re repaying, not a service fee.
A Surprising Success Story
Looking back, I have to admit I was quite sceptical when Sky Glass first launched. The concept seemed odd – why would anyone want to buy an expensive new TV just to get Sky?
Especially when it was priced higher than many competing TVs (though Sky maintains it’s good value when you factor in both a TV and a soundbar).
And yet, Sky Glass has become one of the UK’s best-selling TVs. More importantly for Sky, it’s proven to be an excellent way to keep customers within their ecosystem – after all, the TV becomes almost useless without a Sky subscription.
The improvements in Gen 2 are welcome, but they feel more like refinements than revolutionary changes (especially after three years).
If you already have the original Glass and you’re happy with it, there’s probably no pressing need to upgrade.
But if you’ve been considering getting Sky Glass, this new version addresses some of the key complaints about the original – even if it doesn’t quite solve them all.
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What a waste of money to buy something like this.
Did they mention the Sky Live camera at the Glass gen2 launch?
They seem to have quietly buried it in a shallow grave. There’s no mention of it at all on the Sky website any more and you can’t add it to a Sky Glass order any more.
I think they’ve realised it was never going to catch on and have given up on it.
I already have sky glass if I buy the new Gen2 will I be able to keep my package. And not buy a new package.
If you want to have both a gen1 and gen2 Glass TV running in your home then you’ll just need to add the Whole Home subscription to your current package. This will allow you to view everything on both TVs.
What about those with existing Sky Q running through a regular TV, who might want to get a Sky Glass TV for sat, the bedroom.. would I need to buy a second Sky TV package? Or would the Glass TV ‘pick up’ my existing package?
You can’t have Sky Q and Sky Glass/Stream at the same address, sadly.
That’s a shame.. and a commercial mistake!