Foxtel ‘plots own streaming device’

Australian pay TV giant Foxtel is reported to be planning to launch a streaming device that would offer free and paid-for services.

Billed by the Australian Financial Review as an “Apple TV-style streaming device”, the product could potentially offer Foxtel’s online streaming service Foxtel Play.

The device would compete with Telstra TV, a television set plug-in device that offers free catch-up services and SVOD platforms such as Netflix, Stan and Presto, the latter of which Foxtel co-owned with Seven West Media.

Telstra TV’s parent, Telstra, is a co-owner of Foxtel along with News Corp., which the Murdoch family controls.

Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein did not confirm plans for the device in an interview with the AFR, but said: “We are going to make sure that we maximise all of our distribution platforms, and it’s really important we have a great user experience on them.”

Australia’s streaming market has become increasingly crowded in recent times, with Netflix, Stan, Presto and Quickflix all on the market. Telco Telstra began selling Telstra TV as part of its bundles in October.

Foxtel’s content chief, Brian Walsh, was last week linked to a new post within the company that would see him take on the day-to-day relationships with channels such as the BBC and The Walt Disney Company.