Comcast has unleashed an upgraded version of Pandora on its X1 set-top box platform that supports the digital music service’s full slate of features.
The upgrade, which began to appear on X1 over the weekend, now includes access to Pandora’s premium on-demand service ($9.99 per month), its ad-free radio Plus offering ($4.99 per month), ad-support radio stations, as well as a tighter integration with X1’s search platform and the X1 voice remote.
The deeper integration of Pandora also sports a new look and feel and brings Pandora’s on-demand Premium and ad-free radio Plus subscription services to X1 for the first time, the companies noted.
The integration also provides immediate Pandora playback through a simplified sign-in capability.
Under that new search capability, Pandora content (including select artist profile pages) can be surfaced via the Xfinity On Demand
Pandora is an internet-delivered app on X1, meaning that data for it is applied to Comcast’s internet usage policies.
Pandora, now led by former Sling TV CEO Roger Lynch, was also one of the first OTT apps to be integrated on X1, as a more limited version had been available on Comcast's relatively new STB platform since 2011. Comcast has since integrated several other OTT apps to X1, including Netflix, YouTube, iHeartRadio, and a library of casual games from TransGaming.
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About 57% of Comcast’s residential video base (Comcast had about 21.34 million video subs at the end of Q3) is on X1.
Pandora estimates that its service is available via more than 2,000 connected devices and streaming platforms.
“We’re seeing explosive growth in listening through in-home devices like X1, and we’re proud to be one of Comcast’s premier online music streaming partners,” Chris Phillips, Pandora’s chief product officer, said in a statement. “Pandora continues to harness the power of X1 in new and innovative ways from voice-activation to easy, intuitive access to music throughout the platform, bringing music to the forefront of your in-home entertainment experience like never before.”
“We are constantly improving the in-home entertainment experience by integrating new features and services into Xfinity X1,” added Chris Satchell, EVP and chief product officer at Comcast Cable, added. “Our customers love the ability to play music through their television, which often have the best speakers in the house, and we are thrilled to expand our partnership with Pandora and provide Xfinity TV customers with seamless access to Pandora’s full suite of online features on X1.”
