PlayStation Vue Streaming TV Released for PS4 and PS3 in 3 Cities
Sony finally launched its PlayStation Vue streaming TV service on Wednesday after teasing it for months.
The service is initially available in New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago. People who have either the PS3 or the latest PS4 console may subscribe to it. Included in the service are broadcast and cable TV offerings that are provided by cable operators.
In its announcement, Sony said the service is only available on the gaming consoles for now, but that it will also be launched for iPads in the coming weeks.
The company eventually plans to roll out the service to other platforms and devices.
In the current Sony PlayStation Vue service, users get a seven-day free trial for one of three packages. The entry level package costs $49.99 per month and provides users with access to about 50 channels.
With the market seeing the entry of new streaming TV services including Sling, Sony said it wanted to make a different offering. The Vue service offers a potent mix of live, broadcast and on-demand content in addition to unlimited cloud storage which doubles as a DVR. Sony was able to strike deals for channels that form part of Discovery Communications and NBC Universal and broadcast TV networks such as NBC, CBS and FOX. Among the cable networks included in the base package are TBS, USA, MTV, TNT, Animal Planet and AMC, which is due to debut on the service next month.
The higher package on the PS Vue is priced at $59.99, and it includes a number of sports networks such as Golf Channel and BTN. Also added are networks centered around the cities of New York and Chicago such as YES and Comcast SportsNet, respectively.
The highest priced package costs $69.99 and includes a number of niche channels.
The Verge, reporting on the PS Vue service, described its interface as "nice and easy." It went on to label it as the "most comprehensive, over-the-top TV service to launch thus far."
