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Comcast's (CMCSA) Xfinity Introduces the Xumo Stream Box

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Comcast’s (CMCSA - Free Report) Xfinity Internet subscribers have a fresh option for in-home streaming entertainment with the introduction of the Xumo Stream Box. With no extra monthly charge, the Xumo Stream Box operates on EntertainmentOS, Comcast's latest entertainment platform designed to simplify the process for customers to discover and enjoy their preferred content.

Xumo Stream Box revolutionizes the home entertainment experience by prioritizing viewer engagement over search time. With an included voice remote, users can effortlessly search for shows or movies across multiple apps, benefiting from AI-driven personalization and editorial recommendations.

The Xumo Stream Box, along with Sky Glass and Sky Stream, is the latest device utilizing EntertainmentOS, Comcast's innovative entertainment platform. This platform combines an intuitive user interface, a robust metadata system and award-winning voice technology to create a scalable and seamless entertainment experience. EntertainmentOS is based on the RDK-powered global technology platform, which is responsible for delivering nearly five billion entertainment streams weekly to Comcast, Sky, Xumo and syndication partners.

This is expected to aid Comcast’s total domestic broadband customers in the upcoming quarters.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2023 total domestic broadband customers is pegged at 32.25 million, indicating year-over-year growth of 0.29%. The consensus mark for earnings is pegged at $3.93 per share, indicating year-over-year growth of 7.97%.

Shares of CMCSA, which currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), have returned 22% year to date compared with the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector’s 13.7% rise because it has consistently catered to the changing needs of customers. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Xumo to Face Tough Competition in the Streaming Device Market

Xumo Stream Box, which is currently only available for Xfinity Internet customers at no cost, is building a customer base by attracting new clientele. This will help it to counter the competition in the streaming market. The company would like to stay ahead of the market while catering to the customers’ changing needs.

It is set to face tough competition from already established players like Roku (ROKU - Free Report) , Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) and Alphabet (GOOGL - Free Report) . These players are already well-known in the industry and have a huge customer base.

Roku stands out as the preferred streaming system, boasting the largest selection of streaming apps, an uncomplicated interface and an unparalleled search function. Its platform remains neutral, not favoring any specific media streaming service provider like Amazon Prime Video or Google. The Express 4K Plus streaming media player is recognized as one of the most budget-friendly options for streaming TV in 4K HDR, thus making it a cost-effective choice even if your current TV doesn't support these formats.

Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) exhibits rapid app loading and seamless system navigation. Notably, it comes equipped with Wi-Fi 6E and supports the latest playback standards, including Dolby Vision. For users deeply integrated into the Amazon ecosystem, the new Ambience mode can display real-time delivery information on the TV screen. Although the second generation is only slightly better specified than the original Max, it is now officially recognized as the top-performing Fire Stick currently available.

The Chromecast with Google TV 4K is one of the best devices on the market. Chromecast outdoes others due to its Dolby Vision compatibility but its biggest smart device strength is Google Assistant voice search, which works well for finding stuff to watch. The interface is more evolved-looking than other options, but ultimately, we prefer a simpler approach, no-nonsense search results and lower price.


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