Comcast cable customers will soon be able to access YouTube directly through the Xfinity X1 set-top box.
Arriving across the U.S. later this year, the YouTube app will offer more than a simple third-party “click and launch” interface — the Google-owned video service will be integrated into the very fabric of the Xfinity platform. This means that users can launch YouTube using voice controls in the X1 remote, which understands natural-language queries. YouTube content is also searchable alongside Comcast’s other live and on-demand programming — a single search can surface content from multiple services and content providers.
Above: YouTube on Xfinity
Today’s news comes four months after Netflix finally launched on Comcast, and it continues Comcast’s refreshed approach to battling standalone internet TV services — if it can’t beat the cord-cutters, it may as well join them.
Ultimately, such deals represent a win-win for all concerned — not only does it give Comcast an advantage over its cable competitors, it keeps customers within the Xfinity ecosystem and saves them switching between Comcast’s service and third-party platforms such as Chromecast or Apple TV.
