One wouldn’t have thought that Comcast X1, the platform Comcast is hoping will act as the entertainment operating system of the future, would have gotten off the ground but here it is growing. After announcing the platform last year, Comcast is rolling out the system to Xfinity customers in America’s “Keystone” area.
Comcast announced the services arrival in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland in a press release today, saying that customers in these states would now be able to use the X1 platforms “sleek user interface”, social media integration and discovery features.
Essentially, X1 is an operating system that ships on Comcast-provided hardware and attempts to go beyond the functions of traditional cable boxes. Users are able to pair their X1-equipped cable box with an iPhone and Android app and use voice controls to change channels, get the latest in weather reports and more.
All told, Comcast is hoping that X1 will do for its cable boxes what the Xbox One and its Kinect 2 sensor, SmartGlass apps and Xbox Live now offer users willing to pay $499 for the console itself and a cable subscription.
Comcast says its only rolled out the X1 platform to certain regions in each state. As such, it’s a good idea for customers to check with their local Comcast office on exact availability details.
