TELLY is still a favourite for many Brits and when it comes to premium TV most of us think of Sky.
In a world of streaming with Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime and every other app it’s harder than ever to get everything in one seamless place.
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Sky came the closest yet with Sky Glass, which it launched in 2021.
Since then, we’ve seen a Sky Glass Gen 2 arrive earlier this year.
And now there’s another new kid on the block – Sky Glass Air.
For those who don’t already know, they all do away with the need for a satellite dish and instead rely on the internet.
There’s no box either, it’s all neatly built into the TV itself.
You need a minimum broadband speed of 25mbps to have a smooth service.
So how does Sky Glass Air differentiate from its older siblings?
One of the biggest criticisms about the main Sky Glass TVs is their chunky size which is designed to pack in a mighty soundbar.
Sky Glass Air does away with the soundbar to make the device more compact than before – and cheaper.
As The Sun’s tech reviewer, I’ve got hands on with a number of TVs over the years and I write regularly about Sky.
I used to have the first Sky Glass and currently have a Sky Glass Gen 2 TV, so I’m well placed to talk about the key changes and whether they’re any good for you – and why some Sky Q viewers may finally be tempted to switch.
That said, a much loved feature on Sky Q remains missing.
Read on to find out more after testing Sky Glass Air at home this week.
Sky Glass Air: Settings up
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Sky made the set-up a lot easier on the Gen 2 and that has fortunately continued with the Air.
You don’t need any tools for the TV mount, it’s just a tough metal slate with two large bolts.
Twist the bolts into the slots and then place the TV on top of them, pushing down so it’s firmly secured. Super duper easy.
There’s a power cable and remote – with batteries – in the box.
All you need to do is power up, enter your Wi-Fi password and you’ll be watching TV within five minutes.
As an existing Sky account holder, I didn’t even have to enter any login details, it already knew it was for me.
Setting up couldn’t be any easier.
Sky Glass Air: Look and feel
Sky Glass and Sky Glass Gen 2 are serious hunks of metal and quite heavy.
The Sky Glass Air is lighter and has a slimmer frame.
I’m testing the 43-inch version which comes in at 8.85kg without the stand – the Gen 2 equivalent weighs 14.7kg.
While the Sky Glass Air has a slimmer frame it does bulk out around the back.
The ports are all handily around the left side too making them much easier to reach compared to the Gen 2 where they’re more centre back.
The interface of Sky Glass Air runs on Sky OS, so it’s exactly the same as what you see on any other Sky Glass device.
It’s by far my favourite TV interface around as it’s the closest thing to having everything in one place within a slick, smooth and seamless design.
Sky Glass Air: Features
Sky OS provides access to all the apps you know and love.
The Sky Playlist feature is the company’s answer to recording – though unlike traditional recordings nothing is kept locally on a box or your TV.
Instead, they’re kept in the cloud.
This is both an advantage and a disadvantage, which has divided some.
The advantage is you’re not restricted by storage space, so no need to go through the hassle of deleting shows.
Instead, Sky will automatically link whatever you’ve added out to the relevant streaming platform or record it on the cloud for you to watch.
The disadvantage is you have less control over the recordings – something Sky Q loyalists are always quick to mention.
While infrequent, if there’s a rights issue that means a certain show or movie can’t be recorded it may not be available (this has happened to me previously with the Gen 2, but not in my time reviewing the Air).
It also means you’re at the mercy of your broadband service – if there’s an outage, you don’t have recordings on a box or TV as a back-up option.
How to cast on Sky
Casting to your Sky device is done with Apple AirPlay, meaning it only works with an iPhone, iPad, Mac or HomePod
It’s also important to add that AirPlay is only available on Sky Glass and Sky Stream.
For it to work, your Sky device and your iPhone (or other Apple gadget) have to be on the same Wi-Fi network.
If you’re using an app like Netflix, you need to look for a casting icon which looks like a small TV
Tap this and select your TV from the list.
When using Apple AirPlay on your Sky TV for the first time, you’ll need to enter a code that appears on your screen to confirm it’s you using it.
If you want to show photos or videos on your Sky Glass or Sky Stream device follow the instructions below:
- Go to the Photos app
- Select the photo or video you want to cast
- Tap the share icon in the bottom left of your screen (the box with an arrow pointing upward)
- Select AirPlay from the options
- Tap your Sky TV from the list
- Close the app on your phone at anytime to stop casting
Sky Glass Air: Picture and sound
The picture quality on the Sky Glass Air is great – but not the most beautiful I’ve seen as TVs go.
Colours look vibrant and sharp, darks are darker, brights are brighter.
And the sound seriously surprised me – I hardly noticed the lack of a soundbar at all
But it’s the sound I was most curious about with the absence of an integrated soundbar like the other Sky Glass TVs.
And I was pleasantly surprised – in fact it started off quite loud on setting up, despite only having about 30% of the volume up.
Watching Gladiator 2 and I felt every swish and clang of a sword.
Sky Glass Air: Price
The Sky Glass Air is the cheapest Sky Glass device yet starting at £6 per month.
But that’s only for the TV itself on a 48 month contract.
To get Sky’s channels you’ll need to add a package on, which starts at £15 for the Sky Essential TV pack with Sky Atlantic, Netflix and Discovery+ included.
So, for the TV hardware and Sky channels you’re looking at at least £21 per month.
As a monthly cost, that’s cheaper than Sky Q which starts at £31 a month – and remember that doesn’t come with a TV, it’s just a box.
Sky Glass Air: Verdict
By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
With a combined cost of at least £21 a month, Sky Glass Air is a tempting offering for anyone in the market for premium telly. And maybe even Sky Q customers.
The TV itself is a great addition to the Sky Glass family, offering wonderful quality in a much more adaptable form.
And the sound seriously surprised me – I hardly noticed the lack of a soundbar at all.
If you’re still unsure about Sky Glass, there’s another cheaper option that you can subscribe to on a rolling month by month contract, Sky Stream.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
