Changes coming to Sky Box: more storage space, on-demand tweaks

Sky TV has announced a nip and tuck for its Sky Box interface. Photo / File

Sky has unveiled more changes to its set-top box service.

In an email sent to customers today, Sky said it would roll out the changes over two weeks from July 23.

The changes include increasing storage space on the MySky decoder box, while users will also start seeing all chargeable on-demand movies in one menu to make it easier for customers to find them.

These on-demand movies will also display the pricing to ensure that consumers are aware of the cost before hitting the purchase button, Sky head of customer service Amanda Bremer said.

Whether it's mobile apps or movies purchased online, consumers find it highly frustrating when it isn't clear from the outset that something carries a charge.

Paying for a single movie download has become more popular over the past year, with international services like YouTube and Amazon Prime charging consumers to watch films.

The increased emphasis on downloading is in line with the promise of new Sky TV boss Martin Stewart to invest more in streaming, and make more entertainment and sports content available online.

The latest update follows a number of other changes introduced by the company boss to align the business more closely with consumers' changing habits.

At the end of last month, Stewart cancelled the Android-powered "puck" promoted as a key part of the company's technology roadmap by his predecessor, John Fellet.

The Apple TV-sized puck was going to deliver all of Sky TV's channels over the internet, rather than a satellite dish, and feature support for Netflix and other apps (making it very similar to the "Vodafone TV" device sold by Vodafone NZ).

Stewart has outlined an in-depth technology roadmap that focuses on upgrading Sky's various apps, rather than introducing new devices that could potentially further complicate the customer experience.

This is more in line with the approach of modern tech companies, which focus on the digital user experience above all else.

User experience has long been the subject of consternation among viewers who have consistently pointed out Sky's mishaps over the years. Ironing out those kinks will be integral as Sky strives to win back Kiwis who may have left the service in recent years.

Sky's commitment to getting Kiwis back on side was also evidenced last week when it announced that it would be playing the Cricket World Cup final free-to-air on Prime.