French operator SFR has unveiled a new 4K-compatible set-top box developed by sister company Altice Labs, without revealing the cost to customers. It will become available on 20 August with all FTTH/DSL plans, and on 08 October for subscribers on the operator’s hybrid fibre-coaxial network. Named SFR Box 8, the new addition will be marketed as an optional upgrade to new sign-ups, who will still be able to choose the existing 4K-compatible SFR Box 7 model as the standard offer.
The operator has described SFR Box 8 as the first in the French market to feature the latest WiFi 6 standard, adding that it will be also the first to support the premium Dolby Vision HDR format, alongside compatibility for Dolby Atmos. Like the Freebox Delta introduced by Free in December, SFR’s new box incorporates a smart speaker system powered by a voice-controlled assistant. At launch, this will work with Altice’s own assistant (“OK SFR”), and will become compatible with Amazon Alexa in the near future.
A new smart home automation service is also in the pipeline, enabling customers to control connected products remotely, such as compatible sockets, light bulbs and security cameras. According to 01net, the new SFR Home offering will be introduced in October, when support for Amazon Alexa will also become available.
There is no mention of hard drive capabilities for SFR Box 8, which will reportedly rely entirely on the cloud recording service discreetly introduced by SFR in April. The box will be launched alongside a new TV interface that features a recommendation engine and enables voice-controlled commands. It will also come with a dedicated app offering customers several new capabilities, such as the option to set recordings remotely and resume viewing from any compatible screen.
