Hulu today said that its app has officially launched on Comcast’s Xfinity Flex platform and that it will show up on X1 within the coming weeks.
The company said both the basic Hulu service and Hulu with no ads will be available, but it did not mention Hulu with Live TV. Current Hulu subscribers can sign in with their Hulu login through the Hulu app on Flex. Flex users new to Hulu can sign up here and, once they have their log-in credentials, they can access Hulu through the app on Flex.
The announcement makes good on what CEO Brian Roberts said earlier this month. Speaking at a Morgan Stanley investor conference, Roberts said Hulu was on its way to join other Flex-supported streaming apps including Netflix, YouTube, CBS All Access, Amazon Prime Video, Starz and Peacock, NBCUniversal’s upcoming ad-supported streaming service. He said Flex now provides access to more than 100 apps.
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Comcast still owns 33% of Hulu, but last year the company agreed to give Disney full operational control of the streaming service.
Under the terms of the deal, Comcast as early as 2024 can require Disney to buy its 33% stake in Hulu, and Disney can require Comcast to sell that stake at a fair market value. Disney is guaranteeing a minimum total equity value of Hulu at that time of $27.5 billion. Comcast also agreed to extend its NBCUniversal distribution agreement with Hulu’s on-demand and live TV services until late 2024.
When the deal was announced in May 2019, Comcast also said it will distribute Hulu on its Xfinity X1 pay TV platform.
For Hulu, gaining distribution on Flex and soon X1 could help continue the service’s growth trend. In February, Disney said that Hulu has 30.7 million. The company said 27.2 million subscribers take Hulu’s SVOD service only and another 3.2 million subscribe to the SVOD and the live TV service. Disney said Hulu with Live TV had 1.7 million subscribers one year ago.