‘The future of TV and streaming is here’: Foxtel’s Hubbl will launch with all the major streamers
Foxtel has announced its forthcoming entertainment centre, Hubbl, will feature 18 global and local apps, including all the major streaming services.
Global giants Netflix, Disney+, Prime, Apple TV+ and Paramount+ will sit alongside Foxtel’s own BINGE, Kayo, and Flash, plus Nine’s Stan, Optus Sport, and all the free-to-air apps: ABC iView and ABC Kids, SBS On Demand, 7plus, 9Now, and 10 Play.
Foxtel will also launch LifeStyle, a new streaming service that brings its best lifestyle content under one roof.
Stan, Optus Sport and Paramount+ will join the Hubbl platform soon after launch.
This hefty offering sees Foxtel deliver on the hype at its Upfront this year, where the company promised a device that would “best local and global content, including premium entertainment and sports, video on demand and live channels into a single experience.”
Hubbl will be available as both a hockey-puck-sized device that plugs into a TV – or as the entire television set itself, with the Hubbl Glass – a TV with Hubbl and a built-in sound bar – the entire viewing ecosystem in one handy package.
Patrick Delany, CEO of Foxtel says Hubbl will “effortlessly fuse free and paid entertainment and sport from Australia’s favourite apps, channels, live TV and the internet into one seamless user experience”.
“Hubbl is only as good as the breadth and depth of apps integrated onto the platform to ensure a truly converged streaming experience and in removing frustration when it comes to the choice of what to watch,” he said.
“It’s a huge testament to the transformative Hubbl technology that these world-class and much loved local partners have chosen to reshape the streaming experience with us. The future of TV and streaming is here.”
No details on pricing, and on-sale date have been announced yet, but Foxtel is promising this information “soon”.
Keep up to date with Mumbrella Daily
Linkedin
Isn’t this just Apple TV/Google Chromecast etc.. seems like a mature market with big players to content with.
User ID not verified.
If you want to see the extent of the issue Foxtel is facing, go check the Facebook page “Foxtel Complaints”
Ever since the new pricing was announced 10 days ago, the wait times to cancel is 30mins to an hour on call or chat.
Telstra has also temporarily paused selling Foxtel packages when the pricing and plan changes were announced.
Subscriber numbers for traditional Foxtel are clearly accelerating backwards. It remains to be seen if Delaney can stem the losses with these services. He’s a smart operator, but flogging a generic smart device is a lost cause in this market and economy.
User ID not verified.
Eh I’d rather just access them through my Smart TV’s native apps and not give my data to Newscorp.
User ID not verified.
If it has the Fox label it won’t be cheap and, an odds on certainty, won’t be value for money… also you’ll be able to deal with their notoriously unhelpful staff… don’t get me started on their right wing news feeds!!!!!
User ID not verified.
this has been in the works for years, since Sky launched Glass in the UK. The insight behind the product seems to be that people have too may apps, too much choice and dont know how to wrangle it all – which is where Hubbl comes in. However, as has been said previously, people are well versed in using native apps and apple TV, which brings it all together. the Foxtel content isnt what it once was, so not sure thir apps will be such a draw card for the service. Will be intersting to see the priceing structure.
Delany is a smart opertor, but it feels like this could be a white elephent.
User ID not verified.
‘The future of TV’? Connected to TVs have been offering all these services as apps for years. What’s the the difference to what my TV does already?
User ID not verified.
How is this different to Fetch? Doesn’t that device have all the streaming platforms in one place as well?
User ID not verified.
Fetch Doesn’t have (foxtels) binge/kayo/lifestyle/flash
User ID not verified.
YouTube?
Deal breaker without it.
User ID not verified.
Yes it will have youtube.
User ID not verified.
Yes agree most people are already settled. Just has better cross app integration especially with Foxtels products (kayo/Binge/etc) and live channels.
User ID not verified.
I expect it’ll sell to people who are afraid of setting up a new TV or Chromecast, and just want to ring Foxtel’s call centre if they can’t watch Grand Designs. Which will be a lot of the rusted-on Foxtel audience. But outside that niche group I’m not sure there’ll be a big demand
User ID not verified.
What’s the cost?
User ID not verified.
How do i get Hubble i am a Foxtel customer
User ID not verified.
Have your say