Elon Musk’s X is making a move to become a major video platform. According to reports, the company will launch a dedicated app for Smart TVs next week, directly challenging YouTube’s dominance in the living room.
Targeting Influencers and Big Screen Viewing
This app, initially available on Amazon and Samsung TVs, will offer a familiar user interface “identical” to YouTube’s TV app, allowing users to watch “lengthy videos on the big screen.” This strategy aligns with Musk’s plan, unveiled in July 2023, to attract online influencers and advertisers by transforming X into a comprehensive video platform. The competition doesn’t stop at YouTube – Musk reportedly aims to rival streaming services like Twitch, Signal, and social platform Reddit.
X’s History with TV Apps and Musk’s New Focus
X’s foray into TV isn’t entirely new. The platform, previously known as Twitter, launched similar apps at least three times before. However, Musk seems to be taking a more focused approach this time. By signing media personalities like Don Lemon and promoting lengthy video content, X is courting online video creators and viewers accustomed to longer formats. Musk is further incentivizing creators to migrate content by promising increased advertising revenue. This strategy makes sense considering nearly half of YouTube’s US users watch videos on TVs, and Nielsen reports YouTube as the leading streaming service for US TV viewership, notes NIXSolutions.
Can X Compete? User Loss and Challenges Ahead
However, X faces challenges. Despite Musk’s ambitions, the platform is reportedly losing users and advertisers, with a 30% usage drop in the past year according to Edison Research. The success of X’s Smart TV app and its ability to compete with established giants like YouTube remain to be seen.