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

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
imac video apple feature

Apple Makes Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever

Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...

Top Rated Comments

guru_ck Avatar
188 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
188 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
188 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
188 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
188 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
188 months ago
Bump Too limiting! Can't wait to finally get rid of Comcast someday soon.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)