YouTube On Xfinity X1
Comcast Corporation has announced a new deal with Google to integrate the popular video streaming platform YouTube on the Xfinity X1 set top box. This new service is expected to launch across the country later this year.
With this new collaboration, the Xfinity X1 customers can gain access to the huge amounts of video content available on the YouTube streaming service along with the live, on demand, DVR, and web programming included in the Xfinity subscription. The move comes ahead of a new progressive vision to bridge traditional pay TV services with internet providers.
Sam Schwartz, Chief Business Development Officer Comcast Cable said, “We are excited to partner with Google to bring YouTube to X1 and provide our customers easier access to all the content they love in one place. By integrating YouTube into the X1 experience, viewers can simply and effortlessly access videos on any topic, from cooking, to beauty and fitness with just their voice.”
For accessing this new feature, the existing Comcast subscribers have to order for a bundled package of Xfinity TV and Xfinity Internet and pay for using both these services. Through this package, the YouTube streaming platform is provided free to the subscribers with a one-terabyte data usage limit.
Video Streaming Platform
The data consumed on using YouTube through the X1 service would be counted in the subscriber’s data stream. Extra charges will be levied if the user exceeds the one-terabyte data limit in a month. Comcast officials have stated that the one-terabyte limit will allow the users to stream about 600 to 700 hours of High Definition video content in a month.
Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer, YouTube shared his excitement of the new partnership with Comcast in a press release. “The YouTube integration on X1 will provide users the ability to seamlessly navigate and access YouTube content alongside their cable service,” he said. “And by simply using their voice, users can now access diverse videos that creators make every single day.”
In addition to the host of features announced, users can also utilize the universal voice control that comes integrated with the X1 voice remote. Accessibility to YouTube contents are greatly simplified with this advanced voice control feature of Xfinity X1. This will enable the users to fully use the potential of voice-controlled searches instead of the commonly used text based search in content platforms.
