Comcast to Launch Amazon Prime Video on Xfinity TV in 2018
By Todd Spangler
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Comcast and Amazon reached a deal to bring Prime Video to the cable company’s Xfinity X1 service — the first time ’s premium streaming-video service will be available on a U.S. pay-TV service.
Financial terms weren’t disclosed. The pact also makes to only pay-TV operator in the U.S. to offer Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube integrated into a set-top box environment.
Comcast said it expects to launch the app on X1 later this year. Customers will have to have a separate Amazon Prime membership to access the video service on X1. As of the end of June, X1 has been deployed to over 60% of Comcast’s 21.5 million residential video customers.
With the Prime Video integration, Xfinity TV customers will be able watch Amazon Studios originals like “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” (pictured above), “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Sneaky Pete” and “Goliath” as well as live events and TV, titles available to rent or buy, or to watch with a Prime Video Channels subscription.
For Comcast, the Amazon deal is a continuation of its strategy to be the single video-entertainment hub in the home — to keep cable customers in its guide, so they don’t have to switch over to a Roku or Apple TV streaming device.
“Amazon Prime Video’s growing list of originals, movies, shows, documentaries, and kids’ programming will be an excellent complement to the overall X1 viewing experience,” Dana Strong, Comcast’s president of consumer services, said in a statement.
Amazon Prime Video also offers past seasons of TV shows including “Mr. Robot,” “American Horror Story,” “Suits,” “The Americans,” “Downton Abbey,” “The Good Wife,” “Friday Night Lights” and “Dawson’s Creek.”
On an a la carte basis, Amazon also offers Prime members the option to subscribe to over video channels, including Showtime and Starz. Xfinity TV customers can launch Prime Video by saying “Amazon Prime Video” into Comcast’s X1 Voice Remote or by opening the Prime Video app directly from the X1 apps menu.
