Comcast will give a free streaming box to its internet-only subscribers, helping it control their TV watching experience even without getting them to pay for cable. The streaming box, called Xfinity Flex, was introduced in March, and it initially cost $5 per month, which is a ludicrous cost when you consider that you can get a Roku for $30 flat.
Comcast will give a free streaming box to its internet-only subscribers
Image: Comcast
is The Verge’s executive editor. He has covered tech, policy, and online creators for over a decade.
Now, Comcast is getting more aggressive, and it’s doing so right as the streaming video competition is heating up. Having a Flex in the homes of internet-only subscribers gives Comcast a chance to take in a cut of some of those subscriptions if it can drive signups. Customers can also buy and rent TV shows and movies directly through Comcast using the box.
The box also gives Comcast control over what customers don’t see. As my colleague Chris Welch previously pointed out, Flex doesn’t include cable package alternatives like PlayStation Vue and DirecTV Now, so the box can also help nudge people back toward Comcast’s own cable service if they get sick of the limited offerings. It’s also missing major streaming options from competitors, like Apple TV Plus and Disney+. (Neither will be available until November, but support isn’t mentioned.)
To be extremely clear: do not lease a streaming box
Comcast plans to launch a streaming service of its own next year, which also seems to tie into all of this. The NBC streaming service, now called Peacock, is supposed to launch next April with a huge back catalog and a number of new series, including a Battlestar Galactica reboot. CNBC previously reported that Comcast hopes to charge cord-cutters around $10 per month, and having control over their streaming box could help to push potential customers to sign up.
Even with this announcement, Comcast’s strategy around the Flex box remains pretty weird. It’ll still cost $5 per month per box for an additional Flex, and it’ll be limited to just two of those paid units, which may not be enough for a large house with many TVs. The rentals remain a strategy entirely designed around squeezing money out of customers, hoping they don’t realize that there’s a better way to get a streaming device. To be clear: no one should lease a streaming box. There are far cheaper options that will quickly save you money over the cost of Comcast’s option.
Disclosure: Comcast is an investor in Vox Media, The Verge’s parent company.
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