Crunchyroll, a prominent anime streaming service boasting a global user base of 15 million, has made its debut on Sky Glass and Sky Stream platforms, expanding the entertainment options for Sky subscribers. The service offers a rich library of anime content, featuring nearly 2,000 series and films, including popular titles like Dragon Ball and Demon Slayer. Beyond anime, Crunchyroll also provides access to over 3,500 music videos and concerts, further diversifying its entertainment offerings. Gamers can also engage with the Crunchyroll Game Vault, although access is limited to iOS and Android devices. While a free tier with limited content and advertising exists, subscribers can unlock the full Crunchyroll experience through various paid plans.
Subscription options cater to different user needs and budgets. The entry-level Fan plan, priced at £4.99 per month, allows single-device streaming but restricts offline viewing. The Mega Fan plan, available for £5.99 per month or £59.99 annually, expands access to four simultaneous streams and enables offline downloads for mobile viewing. The free tier offers a glimpse into the Crunchyroll catalog, allowing users to sample the first series of select shows, albeit with interspersed advertisements. While currently exclusive to Sky Glass and Sky Stream, Crunchyroll is slated for a wider rollout to Sky Q users later this summer.
This integration coincides with a significant update to Sky’s streaming services, notably the introduction of AirPlay support. This feature unlocks a wider array of entertainment possibilities by enabling users to stream content from their Apple devices directly to their Sky Glass or Sky Stream televisions. AirPlay compatibility effectively expands the Sky platform’s reach beyond its native app offerings, allowing users to access a plethora of third-party streaming apps, including free options like Tubi and Pluto TV.
AirPlay’s functionality bridges the gap between mobile devices and the television screen, offering a seamless streaming experience. By leveraging a shared Wi-Fi network, users can effortlessly cast content from their iPhones, iPads, Macs, or HomePods to their Sky Glass or Sky Stream devices. This feature is particularly valuable for accessing apps not natively available on the Sky platform, such as Tubi and Pluto TV, both of which offer a selection of free movies and TV shows supported by advertisements.
Tubi, a free ad-supported streaming service, boasts a library of Hollywood blockbusters, including franchises like The Hunger Games and standalone titles like Donnie Darko and Rambo: Last Blood. Pluto TV, another free platform, provides a diverse range of movies and TV shows, catering to various tastes with content ranging from Big Daddy and Magic Mike to reality shows like Geordie Shore and Most Haunted. These free streaming options, accessible via AirPlay, significantly enhance the value proposition of Sky Glass and Sky Stream by expanding the available content library without additional subscription fees.
Casting content to a Sky device via AirPlay is a straightforward process, requiring only a shared Wi-Fi network between the Apple device and the Sky receiver. Upon initiating a cast from an app like Netflix, the user simply selects their Sky TV from the list of available devices. For first-time users, a one-time on-screen code verification is required to establish the connection. Beyond streaming apps, AirPlay also facilitates the display of photos and videos stored on the user’s Apple device, extending its utility beyond entertainment streaming. This versatile functionality transforms the Sky Glass and Sky Stream platforms into comprehensive entertainment hubs, seamlessly integrating mobile devices and expanding content access.
