Sky and BBC add features to compete with Netflix

Providing a more consistent, natural experience is how Sky and the BBC are trying to match the popularity of Netflix and other streaming services.

The welcome new features will be familiar for users of other services, but some may see the legacy entertainment providers as just playing catch-up.

BBC's iPlayer will receive cross-device playback for the first time,. thanks to a new screen named, 'My Programmes'. Users can resume playing videos from where they left off across multiple devices. The new portal will serve up unseen episodes of viewed and favorited programs. The feature will require users to be logged in on the iPlayer with a BBC ID.

Live Restart on TV is the other main feature coming to iPlayer on TV. It adds the ability for viewers tuning in to a program already underway to immediately watch the from the start, without having to wait until the show finishes. For now it will be available for iPlayer on YouTube, Roku, NOW TV, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, selected TV sets with more to come. You can see the full list here.

Sky is improving on its Sky+ movie service by adding a watch list, "More Like This" recommendations and Rotten Tomato ratings.

Movies can be saved for viewing later, similar movies are on display and reviews from critics will all be available. Users of other on demand movie services like Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon, will find these new functions instantly familiar.

The new features across both services should now be available.

Sources: The Guardian; BBC via Engadget