After teasing its new TV app for months, X has now officially released the beta version of X TV, which it claims is “a massive leap forward in transforming X into a video-first platform.”
XTV App
It seems very similar to the Connected TV (CTV) version of YouTube, doesn’t it?
Yes, X’s new big screen playback platform is practically identical to the YouTube TV app, delivering an overview of all the video material available on X, on the largest screen in your home.
X has reportedly notified potential video ad partners that the new TV app will showcase popular content, backed by X’s advanced AI technologies, and will eventually incorporate cross-device compatibility, allowing users to continue watching content as they switch from their phone to their television.
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X has also stated that it will soon introduce new ad settings for the TV app, albeit they are not yet available.
The objective is that this will drive more video content consumption on the app, and given that CTV is YouTube’s fastest-growing usage category, it’s easy to see why X would want to focus on this area.
The question is whether X will be able to increase interest in its video offerings on larger TVs, considering that its present slate of exclusives isn’t exactly a headline-grabbing lineup.
So far, X has inked video content agreements with:
- Khloe Kardashian works on an unnamed project.
- Paris Hilton, on a yet-to-be-announced project (that now appears to have been dumped).
- Tucker Carlson’s interviews consistently earn millions of views in the app.
- Don Lemon’s X show was canceled after he interviewed Elon Musk.
- Tulsi Gabbard, who is producing a series of documentary-style programs focused on American politics.
- The app now features Jim Rome’s popular show “The Jungle” and WWE’s weekly “WWE Speed” show.
- The Big 3 league of retired NBA players, which aired weekly games on the app throughout its most recent season.
- The rap battle show Verzuz, which is aiming to make a return on X
So there aren’t many significant drawcards, at least for a mainstream audience, but X is still working on new content partnerships, which should bring additional exclusives to the app.
And if it gets it right and combines X posts with video commentary, there appears to be a lot of promise there. However, given the platform’s previous efforts in this area, doing it properly won’t be easy.
To recall, this is not X’s first foray into CTV viewership or exclusive content arrangements on video shows.
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In 2016, the firm, then known as Twitter, made video a main focus of its expansion plan, which included obtaining exclusive rights with the MLB, NFL, and NBA to stream games directly on the app.
Twitter recently launched dedicated apps for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Xbox One, allowing users to watch Twitter video content on their home televisions.
Twitter attempted to break the code on this for years by combining its popularity as a “second-screen” discussion app (note: Twitter/X hosts the most TV show-related discussion) with direct video consumption. Which, if successful, could open up a new set of possibilities, but no matter how hard it tried, it could never properly combine these two tendencies.
For whatever reason, Twitter users have long preferred to keep the two experiences distinct. When it came time to renew its lucrative sports rights deals, Twitter withdrew, opting to keep smaller arrangements instead. Which finally faded away.
Conceptually, however, the combination of live commentary from X with big screen TV viewing might create an enhanced viewing experience, and if X can find a way to balance the two parts, that chance appears to still exist.
However, if this does not work out, X will need to sign some extremely popular shows to its platform in order to generate interest. And with its income declining, I’m not sure how it’ll strike deals on this front, other than expecting that its creator revenue share deals will encourage stars to leave rival applications.
But, once again, X wants to be a video-focused app, and an improved CTV platform helps with this goal. I don’t expect it to be a game changer at this point, but with more exclusives and an improved CTV experience, it might lay the groundwork for future video engagement growth.
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