SYDNEY: Presto subscribers can finally watch movies and TV shows in HD, streaming to the Apple TV or Chromecast, after a major refresh of the streaming service’s iOS and Android apps.
When they first launched in January, Presto and Stan’s limited support for home entertainment gear put them at a distinct disadvantage compared to Quickflix and Netflix – both of which were available on a wide range of lounge room devices. Netflix was still months away from launching in Australia but already had plenty of local subscribers watching the all-you-can-eat streaming service on their Smart TVs, Blu-ray players, media players and games consoles as well as computers, smartphones and tablets.
Stan (co-owned by Fairfax/Nine) had the early jump on Presto (co-owned by Foxtel/Seven) in that from day one Stan supported AirPlay video streaming to the Apple TV – letting Apple fans watch content on their televisions rather than a computer or handheld device. Both services also catered to owners of Google’s Chromecast HDMI dongle – although Chromecast streaming to your television can be quite flaky compared to AirPlay.
Since then Presto has pushed to get a foothold on more lounge room devices, coming to Telstra’s T-Box and later Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-ray players. Later this year both Presto and Stan will sit alongside Netflix on the upcoming Telstra TV streaming set-top box, designed to replace the T-Box PVR.
This week Presto finally joins Stan in supporting AirPlay video streaming from iPhones and iPads to the Apple TV set-top box – a move which required a revamp of backend Digital Rights Management to satisfy Apple and the movie studios. The backend upgrade also offers improved Chromecast streaming, plus it brings more HD video with 5.1-channel surround sound. There’s more than 2500 hours of HD content in the library with more to come.
The move to embrace Apple’s AirPlay comes as Presto ramps up support for other home entertainment devices, says Richard Cole – Presto’s senior product manager for IP Services.
“Presto is already available on Samsung Smart TVs and our focus going forward are on smart entertainment devices and games consoles,” Cole says.
“We’re talking to the Smart TV makers but we’re not focusing on a native Apple TV app at this point, because if you own an Apple TV then chances are you own an iOS device and can use Presto’s new AirPlay features to watch video on your television. Instead we want to focus on bringing Presto to other entertainment devices so we can reach new audiences.”
Presto’s revamped Apple and Android apps introduce a simplified user interface, with easier navigation and new features such as a binge-friendly “Play next episode” button. The Android app is in the Google Play store but is not available for Android TV devices, such as Sony’s 2015 Smart TV range. Cole says this omission is not a business decision but rather a technical decision due to the extra work required to offer a smooth Android TV user experience.
“There are obviously challenges but we’re keen to get the service on as many devices as possible,” Cole says. “If it has a screen then I’d like it to have Presto.”
