PHILADELPHIA—Comcast has announced that it is launching the Xumo Stream box for its Xfinity Internet customers at no extra cost.
The launch of the Xumo streaming box on Comcast’s systems is a notable example of how pay TV operators are making streaming a central part of their video strategies. Xumo is a joint venture between the country’s two largest cable operators, Comcast and Charter.
Built on Comcast’s EntertainmentOS, Xumo’s new 4K streaming box brings together live TV and streaming in one simple, intuitive experience.
“Finding something to watch across streaming apps can be frustrating and time consuming for customers,” said John Dixon, senior vice president, Entertainment. “Xumo Stream Box helps simplify streaming so customers can spend less time searching and more time watching with key features like live TV at start-up, leading voice search, an integrated guide, and all the most popular apps preloaded and ready to watch.”
In announcing the launch Comcast said that the Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity will allow customers to spend more time watching and less time searching. The box and its remote allows customers to search for a show or movie by saying its name into the included voice remote; the Xumo Stream Box will then search across available apps and services to find it.
The Xumo Stream Box also uses both AI-driven personalization and an in-house editorial team to surface content recommendations within the experience, helping customers find something to watch without having to jump in and out of apps.
The integration of streaming content and live linear TV also means that customers can quickly and easily access Xfinity Stream channels. Broadband customers can find something to watch among the app’s 20+ FAST channels, and NOW TV customers to quickly access and enjoy their 40+ streaming channels from A&E, AMC, Hallmark, Warner Bros. Discovery, and more, Comcast reported.
Other new features include a “currently playing” tile that shows what’s airing on the last Xfinity Stream channel the customer watched. It also includes a built-in channel guide for browsing Xfinity Stream channels.
The Xumo Stream Box comes preloaded with hundreds of streaming apps, Comcast said. Customers can simply say the name of the streaming service into the voice remote, and Xumo Stream Box will find and launch it.
For the first time, Xfinity customers will also be able to build personalized viewing lists for every member of the family with “My List.” With just one click, customers can add any show or movie available on Xumo Stream Box to a specific list, giving them a quick way to find what to watch next, comcast said.
