It would be better if the device just ran a android OS and allowed you to install whatever streaming apps you wanted…
With a new hardware offering which carries Kayo and Binge buttons on the remote (as well as Netflix), Foxtel is moving to secure its position in the streaming market.
The product was launched at a lavish event on Sydney Harbour on Wednesday attended by hundreds of executives and talent from ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine and Ten as well as the streamers.
A new streaming app, Lifestyle, that brings together the best lifestyle content from Foxtel, will also launch on the platform.
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The Foxtel Now box from 2017 was android. They’ve already toyed with that in the past I guess.
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The Guardian Australia’s Amanda Meade writes that Hamish and Andy have filmed seven TV commercials for Hubbl.
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I would hope so, although it wouldn’t be hard to improve on some of the slop they’ve served up on other platforms.
Will be interesting to see if this is tied to requiring a device or not - Hubbl is a device (or devices) or a platform? Its a tad unclear at the moment
Won’t they? While it’s not necessarily practical to support every streamer out there (especially if they’re on a non-Apple/Android platform), their desire to be the ‘hub’ of the television might see them support a much wider range of streamers than what they do currently.
I could see them supporting the American sport “game passes” in the future
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Apple TV and Google Chrome are great products that do much then just TV, like home automation. How are they going to convince people to buy yet another device that does less?
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For those interested this basically explains Hubbl.
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Hubbl unveiled at Parliament House
More than 150 ministers, parliamentarians, stars of Australia’s biggest TV shows and sports, studio and sport executives come together at annual Foxtel Group Showcase event.
Government Ministers joined champion athletes, Australian actors, production companies and sporting bodies as they descended upon Parliament House on Monday to attend the annual Foxtel Group 2024 Showcase event which also unveiled Hubbl, Australia’s newest transformative TV technology.
Hosted by Fox Sports presenter Hannah Hollis, the event featured remarks from Hubbl and Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany, The Hon. Anika Wells Minister for Sport, The Hon. Tony Burke, Minister for the Arts and The Hon. David Coleman Shadow Minister for Communications. The Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon. Anthony Albanese, also attended the event.
Mr Delany said: “More than 10 million Australians choose to watch us every month. Tuning into the magic moments that inspire, unite and give rise to new Australian heroes, and stories that reflect a changing Australia and put the very best of our creative community on the global stage. Importantly, we now have a product in 1 in 2 Australian homes.”
On Hubbl, he said: “There are now millions of content choices available to us via apps, channels and sources. Hubbl takes all the frustration and confusion out of this. It fuses together paid and free streaming entertainment into a world-class user interface, and gives prominence to what Australians choose to watch.”
He continued: “Events of national importance should be made available live, free and on a national basis, no matter the platform. When more than 90% of Australians have access to broadband, Australians should be able to choose how they watch the sports they love.
“Our passion is to bring the world’s best sport and entertainment to Australians. I am proud to say we have been doing just that for three decades now. We will keep on disrupting right here in Australia for years to come,” Mr Delany concluded.
The event also showcased Foxtel Group’s commitment to Homegrown sport with a CEO panel featuring AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley and Netball Australia Interim CEO Stacey West. Chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission Peter V’Landys shared a video with attendees about the NRL and Foxtel Group partnership as he prepares to fly out to Las Vegas as part of the NRL’s blockbuster Round Zero in the city.
It also highlighted the Group’s commitment to Homegrown Entertainment with a special performance by Australian singer and songwriter, Meg Washington, of a song from the yet-to-be-released BINGE Original Film, How to Make Gravy.
Sporting talent in attendance included (NRL) Cooper Cronk, Mal Meninga, Jared Croker, Corey Harawira-Naera, Corey Hosburgh, Ricky Stuart, Grace Kemp, Simaima Taufa, (AFL) Nathan Buckley, Callum Mills, Jonathan Brown, Eddie Betts, Chloe Molloy, (Netball) Cath Cox, Bianca Chatfield, Jaime-Lee Price, Paige Hadley and (Supercars) Mark Skaife.
Acting talent included Brooke Satchwell (The Twelve), Matt Day (STRIFE), Danielle MacDonald (The Last Anniversary), Tina Bursill (STRIFE) and Sara Wiseman (High Country), while creator of BINGE’s first Original Film How to Make Gravy and Australian award-winning singer/songwriter Meg Washington took to the stage to exclusively perform a song she wrote from the film.
Executives in attendance included from Foxtel Group Chair Siobhan McKenna, Chief Content & Commercial Officer Amanda Laing, Managing Director, Kayo Sports, Julian Ogrin, Managing Director, Hubbl, Les Wigan, Chief General Counsel and Executive Director – Regulatory Lynette Ireland, Executive Director – Commercial, Sport Rebecca McCloy and Executive Director - BINGE Alison Hurbert-Burns.
Production company CEOs in attendance included Chris Taylor from NBCUniversal, Michael Brooks from Warner Bros Discovery, Scott Howard from Endemol Shine Australia, Ian Collie and Rob Gibson from Easy Tiger, Jo Porter from Curio Projects and Jodi Matterson from Made Up Stories.
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Seriously wish they’d hurry up and get this on market.
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Overkill, but it’s Murdoch/Foxtel after all!
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Website is now up.
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The website seems to indicate the “stack and save” option still allows you to use the individual services, so they must have an agreement with Netflix to shave a few $$ off by billing through Hubbl
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Ordered a Hubbl today. This thing feels like a good buy
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It would be a lot better if it wasn’t so dialed down to be fair.
Think I will stick with Apple TV 4K
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Picking my two up at JB today to complement my Apple TV 4K
I’ll pick one up as soon as Harvey Norman add them (got a gift card I’ve been sitting on that o need to get rid of)