Sony is getting closer to launching its PlayStation-based Internet television service, with PlayStation Vue set to open up to new users in a few locations in the United States soon. Sony Computer Entertainment president Andrew House advised that PlayStation Vue will be leaving its invitation-only testing, and launching in New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia within the next two weeks.
Originally announced in November last year, PlayStation Vue will apparently offer “around 75 channels per market,” including a number of major broadcasters. Accessible via the company’s game consoles, including the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and possibly the PlayStation TV as well, the service will include a smart search function for finding shows by name, genre, popularity, and length, with its three-day catch-up service allowing users to store select programs online without restrictions for up to 28 days at a time.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, House believed PlayStation Vue would expand out from the initial markets to across the United States before the end of this year. The United States is not the only target for Sony’s service, as the company is apparently looking to expand into other territories. House notes that there are issues with regards to different viewing habits and TV market structures making such a service difficult. These difficulties have been felt by other companies, with Nintendo admitting last month it would not be bringing its Tvii service to Europe due to complex variations in localization and licensing systems.
With regard to the channels being made available to consumers, discussions with media companies are “ongoing and are moving forward positively,” House claims. Though it is noted that ESPN will not form part of the launch lineup, despite continuing talks, House believes “we are very confident that we have a robust offering in the sports area with existing partnerships,” including Fox Sports.
Pricing for the service is still unknown, and will probably be dependent on the content providers it can sign up. While it has to compete against normal television packages, including cable companies and satellite providers, it also has to take on other Internet TV services, and price itself accordingly. Sling TV, launched by Dish in January, charges $20 for a basic package, with extra channel bundles available at $5 per month. PlayStation Vue does have the added catchup TV function, making it a more valuable proposition, but it won’t be able to raise its prices by much if it wants to bring in subscribers.
