Comcast’s ambitious new streaming service Peacock is slated to roll out nation-wide on July 15, and at least one group of users will have a nice perk at launch time.
On Friday, Comcast announced users of Google’s Android platform will get free access to the service’s premium, ad-supported tier for three months.
The announcement is the first time Comcast has offered users of a third-party platform free access to Peacock’s premium, ad-supported tier. The service launched in April to users of Comcast’s X1 cable and Flex internet devices, with users getting free access to the same plan.
At launch, Comcast’s Peacock is expected to offer three tiers: A free tier with a limited selection of NBC and Universal Pictures TV series and movies; a premium, ad-supported tier with an extensive library of shows and movies for $5 a month; and an ultra premium tier without commercials for $10 a month.
Customers who use Comcast’s X1 or Flex platforms can upgrade to the commercial-free tier for $5 a month. Android users will also be able to upgrade to the commercial-free tier for the same price during the three month promotion.
“As millions of our viewers have already seen the massive benefit of having Peacock available to them these past few months, we look forward to leveraging the unprecedented reach of Google’s platforms and devices, to provide Peacock to even more fans on July 15,” Matt Bond, an executive with Comcast, said in a press release. “Google continues to be a terrific partner as we aim to deliver NBCUniversal’s world class content across all of their platforms and devices.”
Customers who use Android’s operating system on their phones, tablets or TVs — including users of the new TiVo Stream 4K — can sign up for the extended trial of the premium tier by subscribing to Peacock through the Google Play Store.
Comcast has signed distribution deals with Google, Apple and a handful of others to make Peacock available on launch day. But as The Desk reported earlier this week, it has yet to sign an agreement with Roku and Amazon for distribution on those platforms.
A Comcast executive told The Desk that negotiations continue but offered no other information as to whether Peacock would be available to customers on Roku or Amazon’s Fire TV devices in mid-July.
