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BT Sport is now available on Apple TV, Samsung TV, and Xbox through a new app at no extra charge to existing BT Sport customers.
As yet 4K UHD and HDR are unavailable, but BT Sport confirms today that its customers will be "among the first in the world to experience live sports in stunning High Dynamic Range (HDR)" with further details to be "announced in due course". The app will initially give access to BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2, BT Sport 3, ESPN, Boxnation, and the BT Sport Extra channels, with on-demand content, highlights, TV listings, and the BT Sport 4K UHD channel all expected to roll out later this year.
"This enhancement will make live sport in stunning ultra-high-definition available to more fans, by making these devices another way to access 4K content on TV, in addition to a BT TV set-top box," said BT’s press statement. "The app makes BT Sport available in more ways than ever before […] enabling access to BT Sport without the need for a set-top box."
BT Sport is also developing plans for "object-based broadcasting", which will enable viewers to personalise and control some aspects or objects of programmes such as audio or graphics, such as decreasing crowd noise and including audio description for blind and partially sighted subscribers. The service is also currently trialling a private video chat service that "allows fans to have real-time video chats with up to three friends while watching BT Sport in the same app".
"We’re creating even more ways for our customers to watch their favourite sport in stunning high definition, wherever they are." said Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s consumer division. "We’re working to offer our customers unrivalled choice, with the best content, the smartest devices, and the latest technology, through partnerships with the world’s most innovative companies. Making BT Sport available on Apple TV, Samsung TVs and Xbox is just one of the ways we’re bringing great sport to even more customers, and creating the best sports viewing experiences in the UK."
