Second screen developments for Sky

Sky has today announced a huge step forward in its second screen activity, with the launch of an update to its Sky+ app which lets Sky customers transform their iPad into a remote control.

With a simple swipe or tap of their fingers on their iPad screen, Sky customers are from now able to use the app to change channels as well as pause, play and rewind TV.

Alongside this, the update will also allow Sky customers to see what’s stored on their Sky+ planner and make changes without interrupting their TV viewing. A new design meanwhile makes it even easier for Sky customers to use the app to set recordings of their favourite shows over the following seven days, scrolling through the whole week in the TV Guide and selecting which shows they want to record, which they can do either by episode or entire series.

Later this summer, Sky will be integrating zeebox second screen functionality in to the app. This will allow Sky customers to follow online reaction to their favourite shows directly through the app via integrated twitter feeds, plus enjoy bonus content specifically created around their favourite Sky shows.

To access the full range of functionality through the revamped app, Sky TV customers need to have the new look Sky TV Guide on their Sky+HD box, and to make sure their Sky+HD box is connected to the same broadband network as their iPad.