Roku and PlayStation Vue owners will soon be able to watch all the Showtime content they want via the cable channel's new online-only streaming service.

On Monday, Showtime announced that its new standalone streaming service will roll out in July to users of Roku TV and other Roku streaming devices as well as Sony's Playstation Vue cloud-based TV service. The news follows last week's announcement that the new Showtime app woulddebut next month for Apple TV and iOS users. (Showtime is owned by CBS, which also owns CNET.)

The app will deliver live broadcasts of the network's feeds from the east and west coasts and unlimited on-demand access to every season of all of Showtime's original shows. Also in the lineup will be all of Showtime's movies, documentaries and sports programs. The $11-per-month app will kick off prior to the July 12 season premieres of two of the network's popular series -- "Ray Donovan" and "Masters of Sex."

More cable customers are cutting the cord, moving away from expensive pay-TV subscription packages and turning to online services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. As a result, premium cable channels like HBO and now Showtime are chasing that trend by offering their own online-only services through which users pay a lower, monthly fee to view past and present content. The goal is to try to retain the cord-cutters as well as pick up new customers who may be willing to pay the more modest fee to watch their favorite shows.

Showtime is following HBO, which rolled out its HBO Now online-only app to Apple users in March with plans to eventually expand it to Google Android and Chromecast users. The concept is the same; the only difference is the price tag. HBO Now costs $15 a month compared with Showtime's app at $11.

"We are thrilled that Roku and Sony have come on board for our launch in early July," Showtime Networks CEO Matthew Blank said in a press release. " Both platforms have distinct and loyal audiences and together they will build on our service and greatly expand the number of homes that will have access to the Showtime service over the internet. This is fundamental to Showtime's strategy of putting the choice in the hands of the consumers regarding how, when and on what unique devices they watch our programming."

Roku users will be able to subscribe to the new streaming service by grabbing the Showtime app from the Roku Channel store on Roku players and TVs in the US and registering for a Showtime account. Those who sign up in July will get a free 30-day trial subscription to the service before the $11-per-month fee kicks in. Roku and PlayStation Vue owners can watch content on their supported devices as well as online.

http://www.cnet.com/news/showtime-streaming-app-to-expand-to-roku-playstation-vue/

For me this brings up a few questions, 

1. Would it really have killed them to knock the price down to $9.99 a month for PS Vue subscribers?

2. Could this possibly lead to standalone services like HBO Now making their way onto Vue?

3. Might this mean that Sony plans on expanding Vue availability in July to coencide with the Showtime launch?

Masters of Sex is pretty sweet. Showtime has some nice shows.

This is another great addition to PlayStation Vue. I am very interested how Sony is going to implement it. I hope they allow subscribeers to do a Showtime only subscription.

As for HBO, it is built on the same MLB Advanced Media tech as PlayStation Vue is built on, so it should be very easy to integrate into PSN, and the same goes with WWE Network.

I am hoping we will hear at least a couple of minutes of news on PS Vue at the press conference Monday. It would be really nice to hear what their roll out plans are, and what other devices they are planning on bringing the service to.

In other news the PlayStation Vue Mobile App was released on iPad as well.

Interesting.... I hope Comcast doesn't go back to the bandwidth limit.

I imagine this will just make Showtime channels available through the Vue interface along with their On Demand content. I'm not sure what you mean by a showtime only subscription...wouldn't that just be Showtime streaming by itself without Vue?

I was thinking the same thing about HBO, if they can integrate Showtime like this I see no reason why they can't do the same with HBO.

I think it would make more sense for the to avoid announcing anything for Vue at E3. I only say this because I can already see the threads about how now it's Sony that doesn't care about games and blah blah blah. I do expect news soon though.

Oh, and I didn't realize that the Ipad app was out, that's good news. Hopefully an android app is on the way aswell.

What I mean about a Showtime only sub is, allowing someone to get Showtime through Vue for the $10.99 without being a Access, Core, or Elite subscriber. I think the same should apply for HBO if it comes to the service. I know some people are only going to want HBO and Showtime, and couldn't care less about the other stuff, so I think that would be a big option that could draw consumers.

I hear you about E3, but I think Sony and Microsoft have to continue to push forwad and show these devices as a PC/Set Top Box/Cable Box Replacement for your TV. There will no doubt be a group of people that will sling shit, but they (Sony and MS) have to battle through. XBO and PS4 are both battling against Android, Roku, Amazon, and Apple now for control of the TV. These other devices offer streaming games which are only going to become more and more competitive in the comming years, and they offer a much deeper software library that expands far beyond games. 

I would hope that console gamers have learned from 3DS and Vita what will happen to PS4 and XBO if Sony and MS don't compete with other all in one devices.