i’ve had my android phone for 15 months and in that time i’ve lost count of the number of times i’ve contacted Sky to ask them when the Sky Go app would be available for my handset (Sony Xperia Arc S). everytime they spin out the usual rubbish that they either have no information currently available or they are looking to add this handset in the future but wont say when…
now i notice that the replacement model has finally been added by Sky so there is even less of a chance that they will make this app available for my handset.
what infuriates me is the fact that they never give a clear response and seem to have been leading me up the garden path asking for patience with the false hope that the app will become available.
i know now that their excuse will be that they are supporting the app on the newer model so wont be able to do this for older handsets.
especially now that they seem to be trying to develop the app for jelly bean users, ice cream sandwich users will be made to feel obsolete even though the tech on my phone can support the app…there are a number of phones on their list that have the app available that still running on smaller/weaker processors/software…
it would seem that my handset is not the only one though as there are a number of other android handsets that cannot have the app yet…i think its ridiculous that sky seem to be looking at the app on an individual handset basis due to apparent content security issues and the same issue with some phones having HDMI ports…
other providers such as youtube, netplay etc are able to get around this but not Sky.
if only they could summon up the balls to climb out of Apple’s pocket will they realise the Android market id far greater than the the Apple market.
anyone else feel frustrated by Sky’s lack of response to this or is it just me?

No, I have an iPhone and iPad!

Well it saves you watching the drivel they put out and paging for Dow loading lots of adds. Vote with your feet.

It’s your own fault for buying a second rate handset. Should have got an iPhone.

I doubt that Sky will really give a damn about your frustration given the masses of very positive PR they’ve had around the apps they have delivered.

realise the Android market id far greater than the the Apple market.

yes but the hardware is far more diverse, so development and support costs might be way more.

I can see why it’s frustrating but it’s also the kind of problem Android creates and it will only get worse unless Google exert more control. Sky obviously have DRM concerns as well with Go, likely makes more sense to them to blanket not support devices with HDMI etc rather than develop DRM controls for it.

anyone else feel frustrated by Sky’s lack of response to this or is it just me?

I’m with VirginMedia so my frustrations are different to yours.

meh another great reason to avoid sky; tax avoiding rupert murdoch scum that they are

if its any consolation the ipad version is sh*t!

sky go free to use for sky customers (if you have a compatible handset)

R+D for each handset platform unrealistic for a free service

buy a better (supported) phone as if its important to you maybe it should have played a part in your original phone choice.

…….or live with it…….

I can see why it’s frustrating but it’s also the kind of problem Android creates and it will only get worse unless Google exert more control. Sky obviously have DRM concerns as well with Go, likely makes more sense to them to blanket not support devices with HDMI etc rather than develop DRM controls for it.

Just download on torrents instead. Why would you watch tv on a phone anyway?

initially the app when released was available to all android handsets but this got pulled with only a select few android handsets having it available….i wonder how much of an influence apple had over this decision?!
bigG – second rate handset…really?! 😉 bigger and better screen, better camera, faster processor..need i go on…
have you seen how they’re getting flamed by irate customers on their forum…its only now that they’re trying to address the issue…

Sky obviously have DRM concerns as well with Go, likely makes more sense to them to blanket not support devices with HDMI etc rather than develop DRM controls for it.

my laptop has HDMI out but it works fine on this, some of the phones they now support also have HDMI out, so i dont think this was ever an issue…it was just a lame excuse they trotted out to cover up the fact that htye had their heads stuck firmly up apples’ backside!!

bigger and better screen, better camera, faster processor..need i go on…

lol, classic Android nerd response. HINT: THE SPECS OF THE PHONE MEAN F-ALL IF NO-ONE WRITES APPS FOR THEM. iPhone = most supported = best 😆 HTH

sky go free to use for sky customers (if you have a compatible handset)

R+D for each handset platform unrealistic for a free service

buy a better (supported) phone as if its important to you maybe it should have played a part in your original phone choice.

…….or live with it…….

compatible i.e an iphone you mean?
it did play a part when choosing the phone as i was informed by one of the techs at sky that the app was in development for this handset.
i regularly visit relatives who dont subscribe to sky sports and my visits always end up coinciding with important football games i’d like to watch live so that’s the reason i’d like the app…
plus if i’m busy watching the games on my phone i dont have to spend as much time with certain relatives!! 😀

HINT: THE SPECS OF THE PHONE MEAN F-ALL IF NO-ONE WRITES APPS FOR THEM. iPhone = most supported = best HTH

DIDN’T QUITE HEAR YOU AT THE BACK

Apps are half the story most of what I use is browser based. Lazy developers who can’t get their head around scaling does piss me off though not like we all have the same size telly or screen is it.

I think you need to take a chill pill. Sky go on a phone is pointless as the screen is too small to see the picture properly, I know I have it on my HTC Sensation. However I am looking forward to getting it on my Nexus 10. I fully accept that Sky don’t want to enable the HDMI and as its software rather than a website (as per the PC experience) they can disable the HDMI, I don’t think that’s possible on a computer.

Also as its quite a complex app (trying to make the video as good as possible) they do need to change it a bit for every device to make sure it works properly.

Finally Sky Go isn’t a payed for service, well not directly anyway, it is a free bonus. If you are that bothered about having it make sure that when you change phone it is already supported.

it was just a lame excuse they trotted out to cover up the fact that htye had their heads stuck firmly up apples’ backside!!

or they have identified the most cost effective way of gaining new customers. i-compatibility.

By the time they got a solid code running for it there would be a new phone or version of andriod = waste of effort.

I’m an android user, and I’m not being shafted by Sky.

Paying more money than the licence fee to watch TV, that’s where you went wrong. 🙂

On the other hand, Dropbox just gave me 48GB free storage just for using the app on my android phone 🙂

Works fine on my Galaxy Note.

lol, classic Android nerd response. HINT: THE SPECS OF THE PHONE MEAN F-ALL IF NO-ONE WRITES APPS FOR THEM. iPhone = most supported = best HTH

😆 another apple sheep pops up!! 😆

the only reason is that apple pay off these developers huge sums of money tying them to exclusive contracts so that they develop apps for their products only…that way customers are forced into buying their products….more android handsets are being sold than apple ones at the moment…apple it would seem have now been sussed out for being nothing more than overpriced, useless fashion accessories!! 😆

Works fine on my S3

or they have identified the most cost effective way of gaining new customers. i-compatibility.
By the time they got a solid code running for it there would be a new phone or version of andriod = waste of effort.

I see now the future is for us all to own the same phone with the same sized screen and the same software. Zero competition or drive to improve sounds a bit like the old ussr Ladas anyone?

http://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Go/Sky-Go-on-Android-Device-List/ta-p/690532

Why is Sky Go only on selected Android devices?

The Android platform covers a wide range of devices that have differing hardware and versions of the Android operating system. We have to tailor the Sky Go app for each smartphone to ensure our customers with these handsets get the optimum Sky Go experience which takes considerable time to build and test before we can release it. Factors we need to consider include:

HDMI out – The majority of new Android smartphones include the option to plug your phone into your TV through your HDMI port. We have to disable this feature so that we do not breach our contracts with content providers, and the process for doing this is different for each model.

Screen resolutions – Each device has a different screen resolution which we need to optimise in order to deliver the best picture quality on each device.

Media Player – There are several different built in media players. We must adjust our content stream in order to provide an optimum stream with minimal disruption.

Given these constraints, we have chosen to launch on a selection of the most popular Android smartphones based on their sales volumes to ensure as many Sky TV customers as possible can enjoy Sky Go.

We are aware of unofficial versions of Sky Go for Android devices. Please note that these will not be supported by Sky.
…

now that they seem to be trying to develop the app for jelly bean users, ice cream sandwich users will be made to feel obsolete

Dunno where you’re getting that from, Sky Go works on Froyo upwards. Of course they’re trying to develop for a new version when it comes out though, why wouldn’t they?

Finally Sky Go isn’t a payed for service, well not directly anyway, it is a free bonus.

I got a letter through from Sky the other day, telling me I can upgrade from Sky Go to Sky Go Extra for £5/month. (Naturally, I assigned this missive to the big round file.) I wonder how long it is before we start seeing features / channels migrate away from the free app?

apple it would seem have now been sussed out for being nothing more than overpriced, useless fashion accessories!!

so useless, in fact, that you can’t even watch Sky Go on them. Oh, hang on…

Sky go on a phone is pointless as the screen is too small to see the picture properly,

Perhaps you need glasses? It actually is possible to watch it on a phone screen. I know this because I do it sometimes. We even managed fine back in the day with my mate’s Sony Watchman, which had an even smaller screen.

I know that the BBC has a big stash of TVs and mobile devices etc that it tests everything on for iPlayer. No surprise that it’s a lot easier to test stuff on iOS than on a million different Android devices.

I see now the future is for us all to own the same phone with the same sized screen and the same software. Zero competition or drive to improve sounds a bit like the old ussr Ladas anyone?

They aren’t the phone maker. If you owned a company that produced apps, would you spend your development funds on 1 app for iOS, or many many apps for all the various android phones. With additional development every week to cope with the next new big phone. I know what id do. Im not saying its good for ‘society’ but then neither is not having a consistent approach to an operating system, as far as i can see you may as well replace the word android with phone for all the similarity it means.

Sky Go has been working on my HTC Sensation for the best part of a year now, can’t say I’ve used it much, it would be much more use to me if it worked on my Galaxy Tab 10.1 😕

Are Sky the only company that has to certify certain handsets for its app? Most people just put the app out there and if you can’t use it, too bad. Since Android is standard, surely MOST people would be able to use a generic app?

We have to tailor the Sky Go app for each smartphone to ensure our customers with these handsets get the optimum Sky Go experience

That’s bullshit. The HDMI thing could be got round easily enough without having to release a whole new app, but the rest is garbage.

Android is a standard OS – so why not release a basic version that’ll work on most stuff? Sure it’s not optimal, but WGAF? I’d rather have a slightly less optimal resolution than no app at all.

Ball locks.

Android user – don’t care about skygo. Do pay for sky at home although using it less and less these days. My wife loves crap TV though so it’s more for her than me.

Sony routinely hold off Android updates so they can skin it their way, if it bothers you just don’t opt for a Sony. I have a mate with the Arc, he also complains of being far behind in the Andriod world to the point where he’ll not get another Sony phone because of it.

Important and football are also 2 things I don’t align with each other so maybe I should never have joined this thread!

Get Apple, or forever be last in the queue for things like this.

Apple devices are the number one focus for all businesses.

It’s not fair, but it’s like cops nicking people for speeding; they know they’ll make more in fines if they pick the busiest roads.

So companies providing apps and accessories for smart phones choose Apple because they have the most customers, by far.

It might be different in a few years though, so that’s when you consider alternatives.

Just download on torrents instead. Why would you watch tv on a phone anyway?

Live sports might be an issue.

Now released for my Nexus. Works like a dream.

The HDMI thing could be got round easily enough without having to release a whole new app,

suggest how to Sky then, if you know how…

bigger and better screen, better camera, faster processor, NO SKY[/i] ..need i go on…

FTFY

I think the issue here is that there is no standard way of controlling the HDMI output when developing an Android app.

(At least that’s how it was last time I looked, maybe an official API has been introduced.)

i’m getting flamed here …. 🙄
i wouldn’t be that bothered if i could get a clear answer from sky, but whenever I’ve raised this with them i get the same “we don’t know” or “we’re looking into it for the future” response from them…they initially said they would be developing it for this handset and for other handsets but seem to have gone back on this…
any questioning of this decision is being met with a wall of silence on their forums or the same inane response….
they might as well just say

i know I’ve got the laptop which i can use but sometimes its not convenient so it would be nice to have this as an option…
Sky have taken far too long to get their backsides in gear and have handled this badly from a customer service point of view….

i wouldn’t be that bothered if i could get a clear answer from sky, but whenever I’ve raised this with them i get the same “we don’t know” or “we’re looking into it for the future” response from them

Whenever I’ve spoken to someone from Sky on the phone, they’ve tried to be helpful but they just don’t know the answers/aren’t given the info/whatever so they are basically useless. It is also very possible to speak to several people and get multiple conflicting “advice”. As far as I’m concerned their customer service is the worst out there (except maybe BT). I’m only still with them because there’s no other choice in my area (except council telly, urrggh!)

zilog6128 – i know how you feel, i’ve been a customer for over 10 years and the last 18 months have been the worst especially the way their call staff have been…this is just the icing on the cake as far as i’m concerned…if i could change to another provider i would but they are the only ones who can provide the service where i currently live….they’ve got me over the barrel and all i can see in the barrel are flippin’ apples bobbing up and down!! 🙄

About 5 years ago the guy who was renting my spare room moved out. The Sky package was in his name because he’d wanted it and paid for it but I decided to keep it on after he left. Could they change over the account holder for us? No. It would have to be a new account, new minimum 12 month sub, new sky box and the worst was “new” internet connection requiring me to be without broadband for 3 weeks whilst they “reconnected”. Ridiculously unhelpful. And this was after spending about 2 hrs on the phone to them.