Comcast confirmed Tuesday that it will soon launch a “major” update to its Xfinity TV Player app for iOS and Android devices that will allow authenticated customers to access up to 35 live TV channels when they are on the go.
The updated app, to be rebranded as Xfinity TV Go and launched “in the coming days,” will also allow customers to stream more than 25,000 on-demand titles and download “thousands” of movies and TV shows to mobile devices that can be viewed offline.
Out-of-home streaming, limited to Wi-Fi, will kick off with a lineup of BBC World News, beIN Sport, beIN Sport Español, Big Ten Network, CNBC, CNN, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX Business Channel, FOX News Channel, FOX Sports 1, FX, FXX, Golf Channel, HLN, MSNBC, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo Wild, NBC Sports Network and Pac-12 Networks. Comcast said it will add more to that list later.
Comcast has been offering access to a select lineup of authenticated live TV streams via Web browsers at Xfinity.com/TV since 2012.
“Television isn’t just about the living room anymore,” said Charlie Herrin, senior vice president, product design and development for Comcast Cable, in a statement. “No matter how or where people want to watch news, sports or kids’ programming, we think it should be simple. With Xfinity TV Go, we’re giving customers all the entertainment they want in one place, in the palm of their hand.”
Comcast’s new app and live TV components are partially born out of VIPER, the MSO’s largely “home grown” cloud-based, IP video pipeline. More detail on VIPER and how Comcast has crafted it to deliver live and on-demand video to a wide range of connected devcies in and out of the home can be found here.
The Verge first reported of the app upgrade and rebranding on Tuesday.
On the competitive front, AT&T U-verse recently announced the addition of 100 live TV channels to its TV Everywhere offering, including 20 that can be accessed out of the home.
