Telstra has released an upgraded version of its ‘Telstra TV’, developed in conjunction with Roku.
The company states the revamped device will offer Australia’s first live TV, catch-up and on-demand search function.
Telstra states the release of the latest Telstra TV comes as Australian consumers gravitate towards streaming.
As sports content moves towards mobile devices, telco companies such as Telstra are moving their on-demand offerings to one device.
The latest Telstra TV is powered by Roku and will be available from October 31st.
The company’s ambitions for the device is to aggregate the majority of entertainment platforms, channels and services into one central location – without having to search each individual app.
The new device is set to combine subscription TV, on-demand streaming, and free-to-air TV, inclusive of the services below:
ABC iView, SBS On Demand, +7, 9NOW, Tenplay, Foxtel Now, BigPond Movies, Netflix, Stan and Hayu, and every FTA station.
The new Telstra TV will boast a 1080p HD to 2160p 4K UHD screen resolution, with HDR support.
Compared to its predecessor, storage has jumped from 256MB (plus microSD) to 512MB (plus microSD), whilst DRAM has increased from 512MB to 2GB.
The device features high-efficiency video codec (HEVC), which saves bandwidth – 80% of Telstra TV’s movies have reportedly been encoded with HEVC.
The new Telstra TV will also include an accompanying app which includes a virtual remote control, and features dedicated buttons for Foxtel and Netflix.
The upgraded device will retail for $192 outright or $99 via Telstra’s ‘great value bundle’.
To properly utilise the device, individuals have to be a Telstra customer on a broadband, NBN or wireless service.
Executive Director of Media, Michele Garra, states the innovation is largely made possible courtesy of its partnership with Roku.
Garra states it is “just the beginning”, adding that voice control, personalisation and more content partners will roll out in the future.
Jo Pollard, Telstra’s Media Chief, states the company’s relationship with Foxtel is still considered an important component of Telstra’s media offering, and that it would get a notable presence in Telstra TV’s marketing.
“Nothing has changed for us with regards to Foxtel as far as strategy is concerned. Foxtel Now is available on the Telstra TV platform and we continue to bundle the Foxtel broadcast offering”.
