Elon Musk's X is gearing up to enter the video streaming arena with the launch of a television app designed for Amazon and Samsung smart TVs.
A source at the company told Fortune that the app, which will be launched next week, looks "identical" to YouTube's TV app.
Elon Musk's X is Reportedly Launching a TV App Similar to YouTube
The primary objective behind this move is to shift users' viewing habits towards consuming longer videos on larger screens, which aligns with Elon Musk's plan, first revealed in July, to transform X into a more appealing platform for content creators, advertisers, media celebrities, and online video game streaming.
According to the unnamed source, Musk is determined to position X as a competitor to Google's YouTube, live-streaming platform Twitch, Signal, and Reddit, among other services.
Elon Musk Confirms X's Long-Form Videos Will Be Available on Smart TVs
In response to an X user, Elon Musk confirmed that the platform's long-form videos will soon be available on smart TVs.
"Coming soon," the tech billionaire said in response to a post that X's long-form videos could be watched directly on smart TVs.
X, formerly known as Twitter, has tried to penetrate the streaming video market by launching apps on various platforms on at least three occasions, including the now-defunct Google TV platform in 2010 and Samsung's Smart Hub for its smart TVs in 2011.
Twitter also ventured into video streaming in 2016 with apps for Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Xbox One, following a $10 million deal to stream 10 NFL games.
Since the company declared that X was a "video-first platform" last January, it has been making deals with the likes of former CNN anchor Don Lemon and former Fox commentator Tucker Carlson.
However, despite the deals, X has struggled to retain users and advertisers amid controversies since Musk bought the company two years ago, with a recent Edison Research report showing that the platform's usage has dropped 30% in the past year.
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