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BskyB to launch 3D TV channel on 1 October
MUMBAI: Satellite broadcaster BSkyB will launch Europe‘s first 3D TV channel in the UK 1 October when it will offer movies, entertainment and sports programming in that format.
BSkyB, which has doubled the number of customers with Sky+ HD boxes in the last year to 1.31 million, said that it will launch a channel offering 3D movies, entertainment and sport.
The company that recently said that 3D TV could be a reality within several years, has stepped up its roll-out programme after a major boost in the numbers of subscribers to its Sky+ HD set-top boxes capable of broadcasting 3D services.
However, to watch 3D programming customers will also require a new “3D ready” TV set, which are expected to be on sale in the UK 1 October, and special glasses.
At a recent demonstration BSkyB used a Hyundai TV that costs ?2,500 though it hopes that ultimately 3D TV sets will not cost much more than a standard HD plasma TV.
BSkyB has made clear that its proposed 3D television service would be compatible with a range of ‘3D Ready’ televisions manufactured by LG, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony.
BSkyB has also confirmed that it will launch a ‘pull’ video-on-demand service using the broadband capability in Sky+ HD boxes. Until now Sky has only been able to offer ‘push’ Video on Demand services such as the Sky Anytime service and the Sky+ personal video recorder.
The new ‘pull’ service aims to broaden consumer choice by allowing programmes to be watched on-demand in the way other services such as on cable operator Virgin Media‘s TV plartform that offers extensive libraries of shows.
Said Sky‘s customer group managing director Brian Sullivan, “3D is a genuinely ‘seeing is believing‘ experience and 1 October we will make our HD boxes work even harder for customers by launching Europe‘s first 3D TV channel.”
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
