Comcast Launches Streaming Video Service That Should Make Meerkat and Skype Instant Enemies

For years, Comcast has been transforming from a cable-and-Internet company to a much more diverse tech giant — and going head-to-head with powerful, established players in the process. Its security system makes the likes of ADT and Brinks competitors. Its home energy platform makes Nest and Honeywell as competitors. If reports are true that it wants to add a web video service, that means Comcast will square off with YouTube.

It seems to be just the way Comcast likes it.

Now the company has launched Xfinity Share, an app that allows users to stream video from their smart phones to home televisions through the X1 platform. They can also send to mobile devices. Dad couldn’t make it to his son’s baseball game? Now he’s got a new way to watch.

That should raise some eyebrows at Meerkat, Periscope and even Skype. Interestingly, Comcast doesn’t see this as a competitor to existing streaming services because it’s focused on sending video to the home TV and doesn’t require users to sign up for another service to use it.

The new Comcast service also lets users share photos and recorded videos. The app is available for Android or Apple devices. Comcast plans to add additional functionality later this year, like sharing content by sending a URL via email, sending content to up to five people at the same time; and allowing users to stop, pause and rewind the live stream.

The company says it’s too soon to tell how many users it hopes to get in the first year.