The brand new Foxtel offers more of the same… but now with HD and Chromecast.
Foxtel Now launches June 7 with a new logo, but mostly the same packages
Yes, Foxtel have a fancy new logo and are talking up the cheap access to Game of Thrones, but when you take away the shiny new baubles, what is left is a service that isn’t all that different to the old service. It’s the same channels and prices, just with a new marketing strategy.
And look, let’s be real. Put aside the negative attitude a lot of people have toward Foxtel and you’ll find it is a reasonable service. Depending on what you are looking for and how many packages you want, the content offering is generally quite broad and you do get a lot of premium content for your dollar. This be becomes especially evident once you strip the content away from the linear channel structure and just offer the content on demand.
Is it more expensive than Netflix and Stan? Sure. But, the library selection is generally broader and better. Is the broader library worth the cost? That’s really a matter for you, your remote control, and your wallet.
Will Foxtel Now deliver subscriber homes the holy grail of the Foxtel service: nightly episodes of Jeopardy? Not yet. It’s something Peter Tonagh and team need to resolve before I part with my hard-earned dollars.
What is Foxtel Now?
Foxtel Now is a rebadge of the Foxtel Play service. The packages remain the same as it was under Foxtel Play, with access to on demand content and the live channel streams.
Subscribers can sign up without the need for a contract and can pay month to month as they do with services like Foxtel. Prices start at $10, with premium entertainment packs for $15, giving access to HBO’s Game of Thrones.
Where can I watch it?
From 7 June 2017, Foxtel Now is available on PC/Mac via the Google Chrome browser, Telstra TV, iOS and Android mobiles and tablets, and Chromecast.
Additional devices will be updated in the coming months, until then, other devices, including PlayStation 3 & 4, Xbox One and select Smart TVs are able to stream Foxtel content in SD via the Foxtel Play app.
The service will be coming to Apple TV later this year.
What’s Different?
Foxtel Now offers a new user interface which reportedly will have a recommendation engine. Also, channels will be available in HD and the service is Chromecast compatible. Beyond that, it is pretty much the same.
This was the Foxtel Play lineup:
We don’t yet have a graphic for the Foxtel Now packs, but all seven packages remain. A report from EFTM recently indicated that each of the channel packs recently reduced the number of channels on offer.
What channels are no longer available? BoxSets,13th Street, Binge, Syfy, Discovery Science, Animal Planet, Lifestyle You, Style, World Movies, CNN, Smooth, BBC World News, CNBC, Max, CMC, Eurosport News, Foxtel Arts, MTV Music and MTV Dance. Many of these channels are currently available on the competing Fetch TV service.
Overall thoughts
There isn’t really a whole lot new here, but this is mostly an opportunity for Foxtel to reset itself internally and reset its relationship with the potential subscriber base.
The marketing seems clearer and the service is now starting to roll out across a broader number of platforms with high-end additions: Chromecast and high definition video. Until Foxtel start rolling out the soon-to-launch set-top-box to bring the service directly to TV, it doesn’t seem likely that there will be a huge push toward new subscriptions. Today, the company seems more responsive to a media landscape changing around it.
