Elon Musk’s X announces smart TV app on the way
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Linda Yaccarino, former NBC TV executive and CEO of X, shared a Tuesday tweet previewing a smart TV app that will launch on the social media platform, a move that aligns with owner Elon Musk’s oft-stated plans to make X an “everything platform.”
“Soon we’ll bring real-time, engaging content to your smart TVs with the X TV App,” Yaccarino wrote. “This will be your go-to companion for a high-quality, immersive entertainment experience on a larger screen.”
Yaccarino shared some planned features for the app and a 10-second video that shows an interface that has the look and feel of YouTube and other streaming channels.
Those features, per Yaccarino’s posting, include:
Trending video algorithm: Stay updated with tailored popular content.
AI-powered topics: Organize videos by subject for a personalized experience.
Seamless cross-device experience: Start watching on your phone, continue on your TV.
Enhanced video search: Find content faster with improved video search.
Effortless casting: Enjoy your favorite videos on the big screen with simple casting from your mobile devices.
Wide availability: Coming soon to most smart TVs.
From the small screen to the big screen X is changing everything. Soon we’ll bring real-time, engaging content to your smart TVs with the X TV App. This will be your go-to companion for a high-quality, immersive entertainment experience on a larger screen. We’re still building it… pic.twitter.com/QhG6cVDpZ8
— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayaX) April 23, 2024
What’s an ‘everything app’?
Verge reported on an X all-staff meeting last October during which Musk offered insight on his vision to transform X from its current guise into an “everything app”.
“We’re rapidly transforming the company from what it was, Twitter 1.0, to the everything app,” Musk said, per Verge. “(An) all-inclusive feature set that you can basically do anything you want on our system.
“Obviously, that’s not to the exclusion of other apps, but I think the fundamental thing that’s missing that would be incredibly useful is a single application that encompasses everything. You can do payments, messages, video, calling, whatever you’d like, from one single, convenient place.”
X appeared to be setting up its video future in a January announcement revealing the platform had struck content deals with former CNN anchor Don Lemon, former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, of Hawaii, and sports radio commentator Jim Rome.
The Lemon deal, which was slated to feature the commentator in multiple 30-minute episodes each week, fell apart shortly after Musk did an interview with Lemon for the debut segment. X nixed the deal and Musk tweeted that Lemon’s approach “was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media’, which doesn’t work.”
The timeline for launch of the new X TV app remains hazy. Yaccarino, who spent over a decade as NBC Universal’s chairwoman of global advertising and partnerships, noted the app was still under development and didn’t share a release date.
