(Image credit: NBCUniversal)
By 
Source: www.nexttv.com, July 2020

Speaking to CNET, SVOD service’s chairman remains sanguine, even though deals still aren’t in place with the two biggest connected TV platforms

Just more than a week before its July 15 national rollout on the open internet of their new streaming service, Peacock, Comcast and its NBCUniversal media division still don’t have deals in place for app support on the two biggest connected TV platforms, Roku and Amazon Fire TV.

As AT&T and WarnerMedia have shown with their SVOD launch, there’s certainly no guarantee that either OTT device ecosystem will come into the fold by Monday—HBO Max, which launched May 27, still doesn’t have deals in place with Roku and Amazon.

Speaking to CNET in a story published today, Peacock Chairman Matt Strauss struck a sanguine tone.

Also read: Comcast’s Peacock: Everything You Need to Know About the New Streaming Service Created From Traditional TV’s Winning Recipe

“When it comes to Peacock, we’ve got a very long-term strategy and vision for what we’re bringing to market,” Strauss told the technology publication. “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon for us.

“Our launch date on July 15, is our launch date,” he added. “We’re in discussions with everybody … we would like to have the app available on all platforms, but we’re committed to launching on the date that we set forth.”

Two weeks ago, Peacock announced a wide-ranging deal with Google that will enable Peacock support on Android mobile devices and Android TV connected TV boxes, dongles and smart TVs, as well as Chromecast connected TV devices and Chromebook computers.

NBCU had previously announced an agreement with Apple for support on iPhones, iPads, Mabooks and Apple TV devices, as well as with Microsoft for Xbox One.

The full premium subscription Peacock service has already been available since mid-April via Comcast’s Xfinity X1 and Flex pay TV services.

Notably, WarnerMedia’s negotiations with Amazon and Roku have been complicated because the intricate ties of legacy OTT app HBO Now within those two platforms.

The Walt Disney Company also went down to the final days before its Nov. 12 North American launch before signing Roku and Amazon deals.

Like Disney, Peacock is a new app, and does not come with the complexity of overlaying an existing service like HBO Now.

Strauss’s CNET comments were published the same day that Variety took its own deep dive into Peacock. Notably, the trade said NBCU plans to spend $2 billion in 2020 and 2021 getting the service off the ground.

NBCU, Variety added, hopes to have between 30 million – 35 million subscribers by 2024, which would be a break-even point for the conglomerate.