New features are coming to Sky Q, with an emphasis on enhancing the voice experience included in the latest updates due over the next month.
Sky Q customers will see Disney+ benefit from having its exclusive content included in broader voice and text searches. Thus, a vocal instruction using the Sky Q voice remote to bring up information about, for example, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Star Wars’ The Mandalorian or Disney Pixar’s Soul will take the viewer to a dedicated Show Centre where every episode and relevant information is available in one place. It’s therefore easier to find content on Sky Q, without having to search specifically in the Disney+ app.
According to the press release, Sky is committed to making its platform open and easy for all users and, with the new Voice Guidance feature, Sky has created a more intuitive voice experience which will make navigating Sky Q’s TV guide, menus, Show Centres, collections, and on-screen messages much easier for customers with visual impairments.
Saying “Voice Guidance On” or “Voice Guidance Off” into the Sky Q voice remote activates the feature which provides spoken descriptions of current menus, selected options and how to locate favourite shows and movies.
Voice Guidance joins a wider range of features on Sky Q that are designed to give visually impaired and hard of hearing customers greater independence, including High Contrast Mode, voice activated subtitles, a British Sign Language Zone and an Accessibility remote which has tactile points, larger graphics, high visibility buttons, shortcuts for subtitles and audio description, as well as an easy grip design - all designed to give greater independence when navigating Sky Q.
Fraser Stirling, Group Chief Product Officer, Sky, commented, “Today marks another big moment for Sky Q as we roll out exciting new voice features. Integrating Disney+ into voice search means it's now much easier to find more of what you love and adding voice guidance to our strong accessibility offering helps to create an even better experience for all Sky Q customers.”
There’s also enhanced Sky Go features due later this month with the new ‘Continue Watching’ rail which means viewers can pick up where they left off. The introduction of ‘Sky Channels’ and ‘Browse by Category’ rails also makes for an easier and more integrated experience for those who watch on the go. The recent roll out of Sky Go as a widget on iOS means favourite content can be accessed quickly without searching the home screen.
Source: Press release
Image Source: Sky