Sky Glass users complain of technical issues

Some early adopters of Sky's new smart television, Sky Glass, have complained of teething problems with the system.

The Sky-branded TV eliminates the need for a satellite dish and, with built-in Dolby Atmos, it claims there is no need for a sound-bar either.

Some customers have complained of issues, including screen flickering and playback problems.

A spokeswoman for Sky told the BBC that a software update will be released this week to address flickering issues.

Numerous Sky Glass customers have taken to the British media giant's community forums as well as social media to share their concerns about the new service, following its launch on 18 October.

The issues include blinking and flickering screens, as well as pictures dropping out entirely.

"When watching anything I keep getting distracted by the occasional flash/blink in the top right-hand corner of the picture," said one customer.

"I'm just wondering if something has gone a bit wrong behind the scenes with this launch?" questioned another customer.

A Sky spokesperson told the BBC: "We've seen huge demand for Sky Glass since it launched and we've had fantastic feedback from many customers.

"A very small number of customers have reported some flickering and we have a software update scheduled this week that will resolve this. We'll be following up as always with regular releases to add features and fix any issues."

Other users of the service have complained of mystery lines appearing on their TV screens and issues related to recording programmes and delays in recorded content being available to view.

Some have taken to the community forums to label the much-touted playlist feature as "disappointing".

Sky Glass's playback feature is designed to bring shows into one place without needing to switch apps, or remembering to record a show in advance.

The service can either be paid for as part of an existing subscription or bought outright.

Buying the smallest version of the TV up front will cost £649 and will need an additional subscription to Sky. The larger versions will be £849 and £1,049 respectively.

Sky also claims the Glass is the world's first carbon-neutral TV.

Although it requires a Sky subscription, content from BBC iPlayer, Amazon, Netflix, Disney+, ITV Hub and All 4 is also available through the service.