Topline
Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, is launching an app for video and televisions that will be compatible with most smart televisions and include a tailored algorithm—the latest update in Musk’s push toward video and to make X an “everything” app.
X CEO Linda Yaccarino announced Tuesday that X’s new TV app would be “coming soon to most smart ... [+]
Key Facts
X CEO Linda Yaccarino posted on the platform Tuesday saying the new app “is changing everything” and “will be your go-to companion for a high-quality, immersive entertainment experience on a larger screen.”
She highlighted some features of the app in the post, including that it will have a tailored algorithm to feed users content, will organize videos using AI, will allow for a cross-device experience and more.
The app will be compatible with “most smart TVs,” Yaccarino said, and will allow for casting from mobile devices to larger screens.
Yaccarino shared a 10-second clip of the app with her post, and it appeared similar to YouTube with a scrollable “for you” area and “trending” area.
The app won’t have ads at its launch, according to a note sent to company partners obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, with X saying it was “focusing on launching this new feature for consumers first,” but adding they do “plan to monetize it,” potentially with ads.
Last month, Fortune reported X would launch its television app in March for some users in an effort to compete with YouTube, and Musk responded to a post on X saying the app was “coming soon.”
What We Don’t Know
When the app will be released. Yaccarino said in her tweet that they are still building it and did not give a date it would be publicly available.
Key Background
X has been moving toward video for months, announcing a number of partnerships with the likes of Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon to produce original video content, though the latter’s show on X was canceled before it began after Lemon interviewed Musk. When announcing its partnership with Lemon, X also announced shows with sports radio host Jim Rome and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the Hawaii Democrat-turned-independent. Musk has long made clear his intention to turn Twitter into “an everything app,” saying it was the goal when he purchased Twitter in October 2022. When Musk changed the name from Twitter to X he said it had to be changed because the platform was different and would now allow users to post “almost anything, including several hours of video,” rather than just tweets. Musk has also said he wants X to have features beyond posting content, saying after his takeover that he hopes it will have “comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world.”
Big Number
23 billion. That’s how many minutes of video X users have watched on the platform in the last 30 days, Bloomberg reported.
Forbes Valuation
We estimate Musk’s net worth at roughly $178.3 billion, putting the SpaceX, Tesla and xAI CEO in third place for the coveted title of world’s richest person.
Further Reading
