When it comes to the best TV devices it’s hard to deny that Sky comes top of the list. The UK firm now has its award-winning Sky Q box along with internet-connected products including the Sky Stream box gadget and Sky Glass TV which even includes a built-in soundbar to help boost those nightly boxset binges. Sky clearly leads the pack but one of its biggest rivals continues to fight back.
EE launched its all-new TV Box Pro late last year with it offering a swathe of live channels along with on demands services and access to apps such as Prime Video and Netflix. It even features an in-built hard drive allowing users to record and store up to 600 hours of TV.
Now EE has confirmed its TV Box Pro and smaller TV Box Mini devices are getting the YouTube app right on the Featured Apps rail which means one tap on the remote will unlock a millions of videos. Of course, standard access to YouTube is totally free but EE says its TV customers will also be able to sign up to YouTube Premium and YouTube Primetime Channels through the YouTube app on their TV Box Pro and TV Box Mini devices.
For those not in the know, YouTube Premium provides ad-free access to content across the YouTube service, the ability to download videos and background playback of videos on mobile devices, plus access to the music streaming service, YouTube Music.
Meanwhile, YouTube Primetime Channels allows viewers to browse and watch official movies, TV shows and live content from third-party streaming services in the YouTube app.
Of course, most set-top boxes – including Sky – already offer YouTube integration but it’s good to see EE is now catching up. Sadly there’s still no word on when Disney+ is going to go live on the platform – that’s definitely a missing feature that needs to be stored sooner rather than later.
Speaking about the update, Alistair Wilson, Partnerships Director, EE: “Our new EE TV service offers customers access to the widest choice of the very best TV shows, films and sport available, as we look to provide them with access to the content they love.
“YouTube is the latest partner of ours, and we’re sure that with its the vast library of video and music content now easily accessible via the service, it will prove really popular with customers.”