‘Sky Go’ To Stop Working On Older iPhones And iPads

Heads up, Sky TV fans: Sky has announced that its streaming app, Sky Go, will stop working on devices with iOS 12 or older from September 17, 2024.

This change will affect several older iPhone and iPad models, either because the device is too old to update or the user hasn’t kept up with the OS updates.

Therefore, potentially thousands of Sky TV subscribers across the UK could be impacted by this change (See the complete list of affected devices below.)

 

Sky Go is a streaming app that comes bundled with most Sky TV subscriptions at no extra cost.

It allows users to watch live television, catch up on missed programmes, and stream on-demand content from various Sky channels on their mobile devices and computers (using broadband or mobile data).

Last year, Sky also added the ability to use Sky Go as a virtual remote, and control your Sky Box from your phone.

The app has become particularly popular among commuters, or for people who go on holiday and want to keep watching Sky on the go. 

Sky Go is totally separate from Sky’s standalone streaming service, NOW, and it’s also separate from Sky Stream and Sky Glass, which are also based on streaming via broadband.

The app is available on a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS devices, and Apple TV.

Old iPhones and iPads losing Sky Go

This week, Sky announced that devices using iOS 12 (and older) will no longer support Sky Go, starting from September 17.

Sky explains that this decision is part of their effort to “ensure we provide the best possible experience to Sky Go customers.

“From time to time, we stop supporting older operating system versions. Users will need to update to iOS 13+ to continue using the app. This impacts iOS users only, not other Sky Go platforms.”

These are the devices that will no longer support Sky Go from September:

iPhones:

• iPhone 5s
• iPhone 6
• iPhone 6 Plus

iPads:

• iPad mini 2
• iPad mini 3
• iPad Air (1st generation)

iPod touch:

• 6th generation and earlier

Older iPhone and iPad models will also not be supported, naturally.

In general, if you’re using an iPhone older than the iPhone 6s or an iPad older than the iPad Air 2, you may need to consider alternatives for accessing Sky Go after the cut-off date.

If you have a device that DOES support iOS 13 (or newer), and you haven’t updated it – you’ll need to update before you can use Sky Go again.

It’s worth noting that iOS 12 was released in 2018, making it relatively outdated in the fast-paced world of mobile technology. 

However, while iOS 12 may be considered old by tech standards, there are still users who rely on devices running this operating system.

Often, these are individuals who are budget-conscious or older users who are comfortable with their current devices.

For these Sky subscribers, the need to upgrade hardware to maintain access to a service they’re already paying for may present a challenge.

This situation particularly affects those who have kept their older devices as secondary screens specifically for streaming purposes. However, companies can’t keep supporting older devices indefinitely.

Sky isn’t the only streaming service to phase out support for older devices: Last year, a similar thing happened when ITVX stopped working on devices with iOS 13 and older.

Sky Go Compatibility

As of September 17, 2024, Sky Go will only be supported on the following devices:

Google:
Available on: Phone, tablet
Min. device OS version: Android 5.1
Latest Sky version: 24.1.1

Apple:
Available on: Phone, tablet
Min. device OS version: iOS 13
Latest Sky version: 24.2.5

Apple TV:
Available on: Apple TV HD (4th generation), Apple TV 4K (1st and 2nd generation)
Min. device OS version: TVOS 13
Latest Sky version: 24.1.5

Huawei:
Available on: Phone, tablet
Min. device OS version: Android 5.1
Latest Sky version: 24.1.1

Desktop Mac:
Available on: Mac
Min. device OS version: Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura
Latest Sky version: 24.1.3.2 – 24.1.3.2

Desktop Windows:
Available on: Windows
Min. device OS version: 10, 11
Latest Sky version: 24.1.3.2 – 24.1.3.2

Android Chromebook:
Available on: Chromebook
Min. device OS version: Android 5.1
Latest Sky version: 24.1.1

Amazon:
Available on: Phone, tablet
Min. device OS version: Android 5.1
Latest Sky version: 24.1.1

Sony:
Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Min. device OS version: –
Latest Sky version: 23.2.3 – 23.1.3

Xbox:
Available on: Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox One X, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Min. device OS version: –
Latest Sky version: 23.1.3 – 23.1.3

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