NBCUniversal (owned by Comcast) has its own video streaming service called Peacock, which you've almost certainly heard of now.

It's designed to offer cord-cutters a slate of big-budget original series from showrunners who have previously worked with NBCUniversal. It also carries TV shows, movies from the company's Universal arm, sports, and more. Peacock, therefore, directly competes with other streaming services from popular US networks, such as Paramount+, HBO Max, and Disney+.

Here's everything you need to know about it, including how much it costs and which countries and devices you can access it from at launch.

What is Peacock?

Peacock first launched in 2020. Three years later and it's still going strong as one of the more popular streaming services on the market.

It draws on NBCUniversal's wide swathe of properties. You could use Peacock to watch 20,000 hours of original programming at launch. Since then, that number has grown to over 80,000 hours, including dramas, comedies, news, sports, unscripted TV, kid-friendly content, WWE wrestling, Spanish-language content, and curated channels.

Why is it called Peacock?

NBCUniversal said the name Peacock is a "nod to NBC’s iconic logo," which just so happens to be a six-feathered version of the colorful bird.

What can you watch on Peacock?

Peacock offers original programming and plenty of hits from "the vaults of NBC," including The Office and Parks and Recreation. It's also the US home of the WWE Network, which offers the entire archive of WWE (and select other promotions) events. It also offers Premium Live Events from WWE, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and others.

Peacock offers a great selection of Original shows. These include a Battlestar Galactica reboot from Sam Esmail; Dr. Death Starring Alec Baldwin, Jamie Dornan, and Christian Slater; Brave New World featuring Demi Moore; Armas de Mujer from the team behind Telemundo’s La Reina del Sur.
The service is also loaded with classic comedies such as Parks and Recreation and The Office, which will run exclusively on Peacock. Additionally, 30 Rock, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cheers, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Saturday Night Live, Will and Grace, King Of Queens,’ and Married With Children.
Original comedies are all also available from names like Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Lorne Michaels, Mike Schur, Ed Helms, Jada Pinkett Smith, Rashida Jones, and Tracey Wigfield. Twisted Metal, starring Anthony Mackie and Will Arnett, is a great example of a comedy with a bit of drama mixed in that's only available on Peacock.

In terms of shows, you can find NBC classics like 30 Rock, Bates Motel, Battlestar Galactica, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cheers, Chrisley Knows Best, Covert Affairs, Downton Abbey, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Friday Night Lights, House, KUWTK, King Of Queens, Married…With Children, Monk, Parenthood, Psych, Royal Pains, and Saturday Night Live.

Peacock will also feature blockbusters and acclaimed films from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, and Hollywood’s biggest studios. These movie titles will include: American Pie, Bridesmaids, Knocked Up, Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, A Beautiful Mind, Back to the Future, Brokeback Mountain, Casino, Dallas Buyers Club, Do the Right Thing, Erin Brockovich, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Field of Dreams, Jaws, Mamma Mia!, Shrek, The Breakfast Club, and franchises like Bourne and Twilight.

Peacock will also stream nearly all of the shows from Dick Wolf’s Wolf Entertainment, including Law and Order, Chicago PD, and more.

Aside from WWE wrestling, live sports are also a huge part of the Peacock offering. You'll find PGA tour events, MLB games, Premier League matches, and cycling races, to name a few.

Finally, Telemundo, a major Spanish-language network, will even be available on Peacock. You can expect 3,000 hours of Telemundo.

Does Peacock have originals?

Yes. Peacock offers original programming.

Universal has developed all kinds of original films and series for Peacock, with more on the horizon. DreamWorks Animation also has originals available on the service.

Which devices support Peacock?

You can see the full list of supported devices here. But, to summarise, Peacock is now available to watch on the following devices:

  • Desktop browser: Peacocktv.com (Chrome 112+, Firefox 113+, Edge 112+, and Safari 14+)
  • Apple devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, and the Apple TV app. You'll also be able to sign up for Peacock or upgrade your membership with in-app purchases.
  • Google devices: Android phones and tablets and Android TV devices, Chromecast, Chromecast built-in devices, and Google TV devices.
  • Xbox One consoles: Microsoft's Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One S and Xbox One X. Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X consoles, also have a Peacock app available. You can even get it from the Microsoft Store. You can sign up for Peacock or upgrade your membership with in-app purchases on Xbox.
  • Sony consoles: PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 models.
  • Smart TVs: Vizio SmartCast TVs, LG Smart TVs, Hisense VIDAA, Samsung models from 2017 or later,
  • Amazon: Peacock is supported on Fire TV and tablets with Fire OS 6 and above.
  • Roku: Peacock is supported on Roku 2 and later devices, including soundbars and TVs with Roku built-in.
  • Cable boxes: Cox and Xfinity
  • Virtual Reality: Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro

How much does Peacock cost?

Peacock is available in three tiers in the US:

Does Peacock require a cable subscription?

Peacock doesn't require a cable subscription in the US, as it's a standalone streaming service designed to function independently.

Does Peacock support 4K?

Peacock offers some content in 4K to Premium and Premium Plus subscribers on select supported devices that are 4K compatible. Content with 4K support has a 4K UHD badge in the Information section.

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Sky

Where is Peacock available?

An international rollout has already happened for Peacock, though the service on its own is only available in the US.

United States

Peacock is currently available to stream within the United States and certain U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

UK and Ireland

Peacock launched in the UK as part of Sky TV on 16 November 2021. It's available to Sky TV, Sky Glass, Sky Q, and Now customers in the UK and Ireland.

Customers access Peacock programming at no additional cost, though it appears to be an add-on rather than a fully-fledged, standalone app. Still, it offers original content, current shows, and past programs.

Other international markets

Starting 25 January 2022, Peacock will be included - at no additional cost - for Sky Q and Sky Ticket customers in Germany, plus Sky X customers in Austria. They are getting a "new Peacock destination, featuring a growing catalogue of world-class original and iconic TV shows and movies from across NBCUniversal."

Peacock has since rolled out on Sky platforms in Switzerland and Italy. It also rolled out in Andorra, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Netherlands, Nordics, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain as part of SkyShowtime.