Netflix to Officially Launch on Comcast X1 Next Week

The wait is finally over. Comcast announced today that Netflix will launch on millions of X1 devices across the country next week.

X1 customers with Netflix subscriptions will be able to browse and access Netflix shows and movies right on the X1 platform. Talk about a true cable box upgrade.

Customers will just have to say “Netflix” into the X1 voice remote to browse Netflix content alongside On Demand movies and shows.

Comcast first announced plans for the groundbreaking deal back in July, and in September, the cable giant began beta tests of the service on its set-top boxes. And now, users will soon be able to binge-watch Netflix classics like Orange Is the New Black and House of Cards, again, and catch up on Stranger Things and Luke Cage!

But while Comcast’s CEO Brian L. Roberts and Netflix’s CEO Reed Hastings are shaking hands now, the two haven’t always been the best of friends. In fact, Comcast and Netflix have historically been competitors. Today’s consumers are abandoning cable subscriptions for Netflix’s 125 million hours of TV shows and movies. Fewer consumers opt for TV bundles packed with networks they don’t watch. So as cable companies struggle to stay afloat and as competitors begin to gain an edge in the content race, Comcast’s deal with Netflix couldn’t be timelier.

And there are benefits for Netflix here too, of course. Comcast is now Netflix’s biggest cable partner. The deal means more distribution and customers for the service. New Netflix customers will be able to sign up for a Netflix membership directly on X1 and have the service added to their Comcast bill.

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