Following previews of its new TV app in recent months, X has officially rolled out the beta version of X TV, which it describes as “a significant advancement in transitioning X into a video-first platform.”

Doesn’t it resemble the Connected TV (CTV) version of YouTube?

Indeed, X’s new big-screen playback platform closely mirrors the YouTube TV app, offering an overview of all the video content available on X, presented on the largest screen in your home.

X has reportedly informed potential video ad partners that the new TV app will showcase trending content, leveraging X’s evolving AI systems. Eventually, it will also feature cross-device compatibility, allowing users to seamlessly transition from watching on their phones to their TVs.

Additionally, X has indicated that new advertising options for the TV app will be available soon, although they aren’t accessible just yet.

The goal is to promote increased video content consumption within the app, and with CTV being the fastest-growing segment for YouTube, it’s clear why X would want to capitalize on this trend.

The lingering question is whether X can generate more interest in its video offerings on larger screens, especially considering that its current lineup of exclusives isn't particularly compelling.

So far, X has secured video content agreements with:

- Khloe Kardashian on a project yet to be revealed
- Paris Hilton on a still-unnamed initiative (which now appears to have been dropped)
- Tucker Carlson, whose interviews often garner millions of views on the app
- Don Lemon, whose X show was canceled following his interview with Elon Musk
- Tulsi Gabbard, who is developing a series of documentary-style programs focused on U.S. politics
- Jim Rome, whose popular show “The Jungle” is currently airing on the app
- WWE, featuring a weekly show titled “WWE Speed”
- The Big 3 league of retired NBA players, which aired weekly games during its latest season
- Verzuz, the rap battle show looking to make a return on X

While this lineup may not include many major attractions in terms of mainstream appeal, X continues to pursue new content deals to ideally add more exclusives to the app.

If executed well, combining X posts with video commentary could unlock significant potential. However, achieving this won’t be straightforward, given the platform’s previous challenges in this area.

To recap, this isn’t the first time X has explored CTV viewing or sought exclusive content deals for video programming.

Back in 2016, the company, then known as Twitter, prioritized video as a core growth strategy, signing exclusive agreements with the MLB, NFL, and NBA to stream games directly within the app. This also led to the launch of dedicated apps for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Xbox One, allowing users to enjoy Twitter’s video content on their home television sets.

Twitter attempted to solve this challenge for years by integrating its role as a “second-screen” discussion platform (notably, Twitter/X facilitates the most conversations related to TV shows) with direct video consumption. If it had succeeded, it could have opened up a variety of new opportunities. However, despite its efforts, it struggled to find a viable method to effectively combine these two user behaviors.

For some reason, Twitter users have generally preferred to keep these two experiences distinct. When it came time to renew its costly sports rights agreements, Twitter chose to withdraw, opting for smaller deals that eventually dwindled as well.

In theory, merging live commentary from X with big-screen TV viewing could enhance the viewing experience. If X can successfully strike a balance between these two aspects, the potential still exists.

However, if this approach fails, X will need to secure highly popular shows to attract more interest. With its revenue declining, it’s unclear how it plans to negotiate these deals, aside from hoping that its creator revenue share arrangements will draw stars away from competing platforms.

Nonetheless, X is determined to become a video-centric app, and an updated CTV platform aligns with this goal. While I don’t expect it to be a game-changer at this point, with more exclusive content and an enhanced CTV experience, it could lay the groundwork for future growth in video engagement.