Comcast has set the February 28 launch of “Xfinity Stream,” a new app that will succeed the Xfinity TV app and unify the customer's access to content that is authorized for viewing in the home and out-of-home, along with other features in common with the MSO's X1 video service on set-top boxes.
The free app for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets and Web browsers will allow Comcast pay TV subs to obtain full access to the in-home TV service, as well as providing out-of-home access to more than 200 live channels, the ability to access and program their DVRs, and a VOD library of about 40,000 titles.
That mix of add-ons and new features will bring an “X1-like experience” on smartphones, tablets and laptops, Comcast said.
Comcast customers will be able to download the new app for iOS and Android devices on Feb. 28, and those with the latest version of the Xfinity TV app already installed will see it transition to the new app via an update at the end of the month.
Comcast has been asked how this new app related to Stream TV, a new slimmed-down, in-home IPTV service bundle for mobile devices that’s being used as a save tactic and to target cord-cutters, and being tested in Comcast's Boston and Chicagoland markets.
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Update: A Comcast official said the company still expects to roll out the in-footprint Stream TV package nationally later this year, though it will likely be rebranded to help provide some clarify between the new Xfinity Stream app and the name of the slimmed-down TV service package. However, customers who sign on for that soon-to-be-rebranded package will use the Xfinity Stream app to access their subscriptions.
“We’re focused on creating the best entertainment experiences across platforms and continuing to give Xfinity TV customers more choice in how, when and where they access their content,” said Matt Strauss, executive vice president and general manager, video and entertainment services at Comcast Cable, said in a statement. “With the Xfinity Stream app, we are giving customers access to the best content in and out of the home with a growing list of advanced features and capabilities that make the mobile experience nearly identical to the cable experience they enjoy at home.”
