After sharing glimpses of its new TV app over the past few months, X has now officially launched the beta version of X TV, which it claims is “a massive leap forward in transforming X into a video-first platform.”
It looks a lot like the Connected TV (CTV) version of YouTube, right?
Yes, X’s new big screen playback platform is essentially the exact same as the YouTube TV app, providing an overview of all the video content that you can watch on X, on the biggest screen in your house.
X has reportedly informed potential video ad partners that the new TV app will highlight trending content, powered by X’s advancing AI systems, while it’ll also, eventually, include cross-device compatibility, enabling users to continue watching content as they shift from their phone to their TV.
X has also noted that it will soon be offering new ad options for the TV app, though these are not available as yet.
The hope is that this will encourage expanded video content consumption in the app, and with CTV being the fastest-growing usage category for YouTube, there’s pretty clear logic as to why X would want to lean into this element.
The question then is will X be able to drive more interest in its video offerings on bigger TVs, given that its current slate of exclusives isn’t exactly a major headline line-up.
Thus far, X has signed video content deals with:
- Khloe Kardashian on an as-yet-unnamed project
- Paris Hilton, on a yet-to-be-announced project (which now seems to have been dumped)
- Tucker Carlson, whose interviews regularly generate millions of views in the app
- Don Lemon, whose X show was canceled after he interviewed Elon Musk
- Tulsi Gabbard, who’s developing a series of documentary-style programs focused on U.S. politics
- Jim Rome, whose popular show “The Jungle” is now airing in the app
- WWE, which is airing a weekly “WWE Speed” show in the app
- The Big 3 league of retired NBA players, which aired weekly games in the app during its most recent season
- Rap battle show Verzuz, which is looking to make a comeback on X
So not a heap of major drawcards, at least in a mainstream audience sense, though X is still working on new content deals, which will ideally bring more exclusives to the app.
And if it can get it right, and combine X posts with video commentary, there is seemingly big potential there. But getting it right won’t be easy, based on the platform’s past efforts on this front.
As a recap, this is not the first time that X has ventured into CTV viewing, or exclusive content deals on video programs.
Back in 2016, the company then known as Twitter made video a key focus of its growth strategy, which included the major step of signing exclusive contracts with the MLB, NFL and NBA to broadcast games directly in the app.
That also saw Twitter launch dedicated apps for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Xbox One, enabling people to consume Twitter’s video content on their home TV sets.
Twitter actually tried to crack the code on this for years, in 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 present a range of expanded possibilities, but try as it did, it could never come up with a way to successfully merge these two behaviors.
For whatever reason, Twitter users have traditionally preferred to keep the two experiences separate. And when the time came to renew its expensive sports rights deals, Twitter pulled out, opting to maintain smaller deals instead. Which eventually also faded away.
Conceptually, however, the combination of live commentary from X, combined with big screen TV viewing, could provide an enhanced viewing experience, and if X can somehow master the balance between the two elements, that opportunity seemingly still exists.
But if this doesn’t work out, then X is going to need to sign some hugely popular shows to its platform instead to boost interest. And with its revenue in decline, I’m not exactly sure how it’s going to arrange deals on this front, other than hoping that its creator revenue share deals will entice stars away from other apps.
But X, again, is keen to be a video-focused app, and an updated CTV platform ties into this aim. I don’t imagine that it’s going to be a game-changer at this stage, but with more exclusives, and an improved CTV experience, it could be a foundation for future video engagement growth.
