Cable companies are doing their best to keep up with the switch to streaming media. Considering most traditional TV subscriptions also double as ISPs, though, it’s been a fairly smooth transition. As services like YouTube TV flourish, companies like Comcast aren’t ignoring modern ways to watch television. It wants to keep users consuming media through its own branded devices, and that effort starts with an all-new streaming box.
The Comcast XiOne is a new gadget designed for services like Netflix, Hulu, and of course, Peacock (via The Philadelphia Inquirer). It’s now available in Italy and Germany for Sky subscribers, which Comcast acquired back in 2018, and it’s starting a rollout in the US today. With a fairly minimal remote (with included voice controls) and a simple, unobtrusive look, it won’t be winning design awards anytime soon. That said, it supports Wi-Fi 6, 4K UHD, HDR, and Dolby Vision and Atmos, all the signs of a decent home entertainment gadget in 2021.
As far as the actual name goes, we aren’t sure how to pronounce it. Guesses among Android Police staff include “jee-one” (like Xiaomi) and “eleven-one” (okay, that was mine, and I was kidding), but frankly, it could be anything. Vulture asked a Comcast spokesperson for comment, who responded it was “x-i-one,” but frankly, that doesn’t sound correct either.
Although only Xfinity Flex members will have access to the XiOne to start, it will eventually become available to all Xfinity X1 customers in the future. We don’t have a complete list of what applications are officially supported just yet, though presumably, it’ll cover all of the major players in some capacity. A single box is included at no extra cost, though additional XiOne units will run you $5 per month. If you’re looking for an alternate streaming device that doesn’t require an upfront payment, this might be a perfect fit for you.
