Disney+ and ESPN+ arrive on Comcast X1 and Flex platforms

Comcast and Disney have begun rolling out Disney+ and ESPN+ to Comcast Xfinity X1 and Flex devices.

The cable provider said that in the coming days, its subscribers on X1 and Flex will be getting access to the Disney+ app. ESPN+ is now available to Flex customers via the ESPN app and the companies plan to launch on X1 in the coming weeks.

The integration means that X1 and Flex customers can access Disney+ or ESPN+ by saying “Disney+” or “ESPN+” into the Xfinity Voice Remote or by saying the name of a specific title from one of the streaming services (like, “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” or “Stephen A’s World”).

Disney+ and ESPN+ are the latest streaming video launches for X1 and Flex, which also offer services including NBCUniversal’s Peacock, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, YouTube and Vudu.

RELATED: Could Flex be Comcast’s secret weapon in cord-cutting era?

The arrival of Disney+ on Comcast’s video platform is happening more than a year after the service first launched in November 2019. In December, Comcast added an HBO Max app to its video platforms nearly seven months after the service first launched.

The additional streaming service launches come at a time when Comcast is contemplating the next steps for Flex, which has 3 million devices deployed within its service footprint. During Comcast’s fourth-quarter earnings call, Comcast Cable CEO Dave Watson reacknowledged his company’s interest in deploying an X1/Flex-like operating system on smart TVs globally. He also said Comcast is working on a common software stack for Flex with European pay TV operator Sky.

“We talked about going to smart TVs but really it’s about leveraging unique scale internationally whether it’s a device or a software solution,” Watson said. “Right now, it’s working great within the footprint but we’re building out plans beyond that.”