MUMBAI: US cable major Comcast has entered into an agreement with media entertainment conglomerate Disney/ABC Television Group which will allow the customers of its Xfinity TV service to access Watch Disney Channel, Watch Disney XD and Watch Disney Junior through new innovative apps for iPhone, iPad iPod touch, and online at WatchDisneyChannel.com, WatchDisneyXD.com and WatchDisneyJunior.com.
Xfinity TV customers, who subscribe to Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior networks as part of their monthly video service, can now stream these channels live online and via the convenience of their iOS devices. In addition, Xfinity TV customers can view series like ‘Good Luck Charlie’, ‘Shake It Up’ and ‘Phineas and Ferb’ on these new Watch products, on Xfinity On Demand, Xfinity.com/tv and through the Xfinity TV app and Xfinity TV Player app on Android-powered devices.
The free Watch apps include a user interface that brings the current online viewing experience to the high-resolution, Multi-Touch displays of iOS devices. Once a user downloads one of the Watch apps or visits one of the Watch websites, they will receive sign-in instructions to verify their Comcast Xfinity TV credentials, allowing them access to their favourite Disney Channel, Disney XD or Disney Junior programs on their device.
Non-authenticated users of the Watch Disney Channel, Watch Disney XD and Watch Disney Junior services will have access to a limited number of "on demand" episodes each month. Disney/ABC Television Group‘s Watch apps are available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch or at itunes.com/appstore.
Disney and ESPN Media Networks affiliate sales and marketing executive VP David Preschlack said, "We are excited to team with Comcast to be the first in the industry to offer authenticated products that provide both live linear streams of our Disney-branded kids television services and a robust selection of episodes on demand to viewers who verify their subscriptions."
Comcast Cable senior VP, digital and emerging platforms Matthew Strauss said, "Working hand-in-hand with The Walt Disney Company, we‘re excited to be the first to deliver this best-in-class kids and family programming to customers - both in and out of the home across all of our video platforms. This launch is the latest in a series of TV Everywhere initiatives we‘re delivering that offer customers more choices and new ways to watch the best entertainment anytime, anywhere."
Later this year, Xfinity TV will also integrate all of the content available through Watch apps on Xfinity.com/tv as well as on other viewing platforms. Today, Xfinity TV offers more than 75,000 TV shows and movies, including a variety of kids and family programming, across Xfinity On Demand, Xfinity.com/tv and the Xfinity TV and Xfinity TV Player apps for iOS and Android, respectively.
The launch of Watch Disney Channel, Watch DisneyXD and Watch Disney Junior, as well as the recent launch of WatchESPN with Comcast is part of a long-term, comprehensive distribution agreement between Comcast Corporation and The Walt Disney Company that was announced in January 2012.
The agreement will deliver Disney‘s top quality sports, news and entertainment content to Comcast‘s Xfinity TV customers into the next decade on televisions, computers, tablets and handheld devices.
The new agreement enhances the multichannel business model and supports the companies‘ mutual goal to deliver the best video content to customers across multiple platforms using the latest technology and cloud innovation.
