How the X1 Platform is Changing the Game for Television

The X1 Platform has already set an industry standard for home entertainment, one that transcends traditional TV to deliver an immersive and personalized entertainment experience across all devices. Now, Comcast and Xfinity are leveraging X1's leading-edge technology to bring the next generation of its cloud-based operating system to users.

Starting Feb. 4, all new customers will receive the updated X1 interface and existing users will have the option to migrate to the new interface. Then in March, all users will be switched automatically.

The next-generation of X1’s operating system features more opportunity for personalization and an elegant and intuitive design that will engage users like nothing that has ever come before.

X1's ability to evolve and improve is core to the platform's inherent cloud-based flexibility. Internally, the focus on malleable software has become a rally cry for the agile nature of Comcast itself, taking on the mindset of a Silicon Valley start-up.

"We are a fundamentally different company today," said Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, speaking at the Citi Internet Media and Telecommunications Conference on Jan. 7. "We are a technology company, an innovation company, and a media company… We see a tremendous excitement ahead -  and for me - the aha moment was to take the brains out of the box and put it in the cloud."

According to Neil Smit, President and Chief Executive Officer, Comcast Cable, no product better demonstrates Comcast's ability to deliver a better viewing experience more than X1.

"It’s a better user experience," said Smit during Comcast's Jan. 28 earnings call. I think if you lay that great improved user experience on top of…our TV everywhere rights, and in and out of home rights, it’s a very powerful combination."

X1's flexibility has already been put to practice for the Sochi Winter Games when the NBC Sports Live Extra app was added to the app library, bringing 1,000 hours of live streaming - every minute of every event - to the biggest screen in the house for the very first time.

"Comcast is enhancing the home entertainment experience by simply giving customers more options," said Matt Strauss, Comcast Senior Vice President and General Manager of Video Services in a recent blog post. "It's technology like this that has enabled Comcast to accelerate innovation and launch new apps and services on our Xfinity platform, resulting in a richer, more dynamic and personalized experience for customers."

That richer experience will be put to life in the upcoming software migration of the next-gen X1 user experience, which will include a new customizable dashboard and unite multi-platform content in an entirely personalized way; one that learns preferences and becomes smarter over time. Users will also quickly notice a more aesthetically pleasing guide, with improved readability and an intuitive navigation.

"It's meant to be personalized," said Roberts. "It's meant to be world-class graphics. It's designed to feel like something is live and happening."

Much of Comcast's recent excitement over X1 stems not only from the update to the next-gen user experience, but a milestone in putting X1 in the hands of customers.

"As of today, we have (X1) across 100 percent of the footprint," said Smit.  "We are seeing great results. Customers like the guide more than other guides. Video On Demand views are up 25 percent and transactions are up 20 percent."

For more information on the X1 Platform, visit http://www.xfinity.com/x1.