In the face of mounting competition from other services and companies, Comcast has been strangely slow to expand its content offerings outside of its base cable subscription plans. The cable company now seems to be pivoting from this strategy, however, and is partnering with Google to bring YouTube to Xfinity X1 cable boxes starting today. The update is available to all X1 customers in the U.S. at no additional charge.
YouTube content will be accessible on the Xfinity X1 in a couple of ways; a new YouTube app is available in the Apps and Networks section of the X1’s menu, while featured YouTube content will also appear throughout the Xfinity On Demand library.
X1 users will be able to control playback and perform searches, as well as being able to launch the YouTube app itself via voice control by using the X1’s remote. Those with an existing YouTube account will be able to sign in to the YouTube app on their X1 to access all their subscriptions, settings, and personalized recommendations.
The addition of streaming app support helps make the Xfinity platform more attractive, and continues a growing, if sloggish, trend following last year’s addition of support for Netflix over X1. The latest additions make it easier for cable subscribers to consolidate and streamline their subscriptions and video on demand (VOD) choices all in one place.
YouTube in particular is a big get for Comcast. The online video sharing site has quickly become the go-to entertainment platform for many, with content that diverges from what you get on cable, whether it be popular personalities, unique short-form videos, or the massive gaming and esports community. YouTube also produces its own exclusive, premium content to compete with the likes of Netflix or Amazon Prime originals, but tailored to fit YouTube’s format and audience.
Comcast is likely to continue the trend of adopting third-party apps for the X1, especially when competing devices like Roku or Amazon Fire TV support not only most streaming apps, but also cable alternatives like Sling TV and YouTube TV that make traditional cable subscriptions less enticing. We wouldn’t be surprised if Hulu were next to be folded into the Xfinity content suite, given that Comcast is the parent company to one of Hulu’s primary owners, NBC Universal.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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