Comcast Working on iPad TV Streaming Service Called AnyPlay

Comcast, the United States' largest cable and internet provider, is working on a television streaming solution for iPads, to compete with Cablevision and Time Warner. The streaming product was announced earlier this year, but details haven't been released until now.

The product, called AnyPlay, allows Comcast subscribers to view live television on their iPad as long as it's connected to their home network; users must have a special Motorola box which, apparently, takes the live cable stream and sends it directly to the Xfinity TV iPad app over a local wireless network. The service won't work over Wi-Fi from other locations, or via 3G.

Update: Engadget believes the Motorola Televation cable TV-to-IPTV box is what Comcast will be using for AnyPlay.

anyplaysm
Other solutions, like Time Warner's, stream live video over an internet connection. Comcast's AnyPlay appears to be a cable box that sends video to the iPad rather than to a television. Users can watch "most" channels included with their Xfinity TV service. Users can register up to 10 tablets, but only watch live TV on one tablet at a time.

Currently, Xfinity customers can use the Xfinity TV app to watch On Demand programming, search TV listings, and schedule DVR recordings.

There is no indication of release dates or availability, but AnyPlay will be available in limited markets at first, and spreading to all Comcast customers eventually.

Comcast previously used the "AnyPlay" name on an announced but never released product with Panasonic in 2008.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Alleged iPhone 17 Pro Antenna Design

Two All-New iPhone 17 Colors Seemingly Confirmed

Monday August 25, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple will offer the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in a new orange color, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman made the claim in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, adding that the new iPhone 17 Air – replacing the iPhone 16 Plus – will come in a new light blue color. We've heard multiple rumors about a new iPhone 17 Pro color being a shade of orange. The ...
Awe Dropping Apple Event Feature

Five Things to Expect From Apple's 'Awe Dropping' September 9 Event

Tuesday August 26, 2025 4:17 pm PDT by
Apple today announced its "Awe Dropping" iPhone-centric event, which is set to take place on Tuesday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. There are a long list of products that are coming, but we thought we'd pull out five feature highlights to look forward to. That Super Thin iPhone - Apple's September 9 event will see the unveiling of the first redesigned iPhone we've had in years, ...
awe dropping event

Apple Event Announced for September 9: 'Awe Dropping'

Tuesday August 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
Apple will hold its annual iPhone-centric event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, according to an announcement that went out today. The event will start at 10:00 a.m., with select members of the media invited to attend. At the September 2025 iPhone event, Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, which includes an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. It...
Awe Dropping Apple Event Feature

Apple Event Logo Hints at Two iPhone 17 Pro Features

Wednesday August 27, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
Apple's logo for its upcoming September 9 event hints at two rumored iPhone 17 Pro features, including new color options and a vapor chamber cooling system. Of course, this is all just speculation for fun, as we count down the final days until the event. New Colors Last month, Macworld's Filipe Espósito reported that orange and dark blue would be two out of the five color options...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3: Four Key Design Changes Anticipated

Tuesday August 26, 2025 4:05 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022 other than a shift from Lightning to USB-C, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will launch AirPods Pro 3 later this year, and apart from new features like heart rate monitoring, we're also expecting a few design changes. The fourth‑generation AirPods offer useful clues to Apple's design cues for ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 12 New Features

Sunday August 24, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should be unveiled in a few more weeks, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman corroborated a rumor that iPhone 17 Pro models will be "available in an orange color." Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are...

Top Rated Comments

guru_ck Avatar
182 months ago
This is stupid. I don't want to watch TV on my iPad at Home, I'd turn on my television for that. And I'm definitely not replacing my Time Capsule with some craptastic Motorola Wi-Fi device.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RASTERMAN Avatar
182 months ago
OnlyPlay...

Poor choice of branding and a nearly useless service. Spend the money I send you monthly on developing a decent, flexable service that I can use when I'm away from home. THAT would add value.

The "AnyPlay" brand might be appropriate if we were able to play from "Anywhere" on "Anything" at "Anytime" but not on only one iPad at a time and only from home.

What they're apparently offering is really "OnlyPlay."

Cheers!

---RASTER
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
netnothing Avatar
182 months ago
Bravo Comcast......by requiring a box to do this, you've guaranteed yourself another source of revenue.

No thanks.

-Kevin
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacSlut Avatar
182 months ago
Anywhere, Anytime...

As long as it's in your home where you already have TVs, and no other iPad is viewing it, and as long as it's live, and as long as it's one of the select shows on one of the select channels.

Right...

Meanwhile, most of the networks have their own apps for watching live or on demand as long as you're a Comcast (or other select) subscriber.

Is this really that hard?

Comcast, for the love of God, figure this out... Create a "network" app that features live and on demand channels of all the major networks. Allow this app to work on any network along with scaling down to 3G. Allow this app to work via AirPlay. Then, offer this app for existing customers, or allow new customers to sign up for the app service only.

What you'll find is that markets where someone else has the cable service, you're now able to penetrate, just like satellite, except, unlike satellite, cable, FiOS or other delivery, you don't have to pay for the dumb pipes.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aindik Avatar
182 months ago
How does Apple fit into this? :confused:

It's for iPads.

If I need to sign in to a separate wifi network for TV, separate from the network I use to access the internet, this is going to be a no go.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nemaslov Avatar
182 months ago
Bump Too limiting! Can't wait to finally get rid of Comcast someday soon.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)