Sky Broadcasting Teams up with Microsoft and Windows 7 Media Player

Sky broadcasting in Britain has teamed up with Microsoft and Windows 7 to allow Sky programing to appear using Media Player.

What do customers get?
For one, access to Live TV, with movies and sport as well as on demand content. There are benefits for existing Sky customers who will be able to access Sky Player for as little as £5 a month. Customers with Multiroom or Sky Broadband Unlimited will have free access, and non-Sky TV customers will require a monthly subscription of  £15 to their base entertainment pack.

What is the connection to Windows 7?
There is integration into Windows Media Center, and the Windows 7 touch capability. This allows users the standard Windows7  features;  searching is easy and one can access other shows along side of the other platforms on the computer.

What is the Business Model that Microsoft is using?

One of the main thrusts of this partnerships is to show that Windows7 is not just an operating system to be used but an entertainment platform. In this way Microsoft can be a TV force without the cost of engagement. By connecting to users in ways outside of computing, Microsoft can extend its range of influence. Apple did this with it’s Disney connection and PIXAR. Microsoft does not have anything like that yet, but a technology that allows users to interface with entertainment through their computer is setting a new stream of entertainment.

Another component is the connection through a European country. By using a British company as a partner, this will allow Microsoft to develop a working model that can be used in other countries over time, including the US.  That makes them see other possibilities for growth. News and entertainment may not have been in their radar. But Microsoft can expand in that direction slowly using software that is at their disposal.