OAN’s Brooke Mallory
2:20 PM – Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Elon Musk’s X (Twitter) will be releasing an app for smart TVs that is “identical” to what YouTube TV offers.
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As part of his larger plan to make X the “everything app,” Musk wants users to view “long videos on a bigger screen,” according to the outlet Fortune, which broke the story citing unnamed sources.
“He is set on competing with YouTube,” the insider told Fortune, also mentioning how X’s video app will first be available exclusively for Amazon and Samsung smart TVs.
In an effort to boost long-form content on the platform, Musk also signed up well-known YouTuber “MrBeast” to upload a video to X in preparation.
The new app “is changing everything,” according to X CEO Linda Yaccarino, who also stated that it “will be your go-to companion for a high-quality, immersive entertainment experience on a larger screen” in a post on the platform on Tuesday.
In the post, she outlined the app’s capabilities, which include a customized algorithm for content delivery, artificial intelligence (AI) video organization, cross-device compatibility, and more.
According to Yaccarino, the app will work with “most smart TVs” and enable casting from mobile devices to bigger screens.
Yaccarino included a 10-second video of the app along with her message. It had a scrollable “for you” and “trending” section, similar to YouTube.
According to a memo from X to business partners that The Hollywood Reporter was able to obtain, the app will not include pesky advertisements when it first launches. However, X did state that they are “focusing on launching this new feature for consumers first” and that they do later “plan to monetize it,” adding commercials and different advertisements.
In an attempt to rival YouTube, Fortune revealed last month that X would release its television app for select customers. Musk replied to a post on X by stating the app was “coming soon.”
However, “Yaccarino said in her [new] tweet that they are still building it and did not give a date it would be publicly available,” Forbes reported.
Initially, the planned release was set for March; however, since the month has now passed, it could be sometime in late April or May.
For months, X has been focusing more and more on video, announcing collaborations with notable public figures like Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson to create unique video content. However, Don Lemon’s show on X was recently canceled before it ever got started.
X also said that it will be hosting shows with Jim Rome, a sports radio personality, and former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
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