Comcast launches $5 streaming platform for internet-only customers
US media giant Comcast has launched a new platform for its internet-only customers that will bundle together streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon.
The firm has unveiled plans for Xfinity Flex, a streaming box aimed at its non-cable TV customers that ties together a range of apps with its voice remote.
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Comcast said the new service, which costs $5 (£3.80) per month, will provide an integrated guide and allow users to control internet-connected devices in their home.
“Xfinity Flex will deepen our relationship with a certain segment of our Internet customers and provide them with real value,” said Matt Strauss, executive vice president of Xfinity Services.
“For just five dollars a month, we can offer these customers an affordable, flexible, and differentiated platform that includes thousands of free movies and shows for online streaming, an integrated guide for accessing their favourite apps and connected home devices, and the ease of navigating and managing all of it with our voice remote.”
The move comes as traditional media conglomerates race to move into the streaming sector in a bid to stave off disruption from competitors such as Netflix.
Comcast is also locked in a battle with rival Disney as they vie for prominence in the shifting media landscape.
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Earlier this week Disney completed its $71bn merger with 21st Century Fox after beating Comcast in a heated bidding war. Disney will be launching its own streaming service later this year.
Flex will launch on Tuesday, the day after Apple is expected to unveil its own streaming service.