Early access to the Peacock streaming service is now available to Comcast Xfinity customers. The new streaming service from NBCUniversal is not expected to go live for everyone else until July 15.
Peacock is NBCU’s big streaming play and brings together many NBC favorites and classics under one app. The service claims to offer access to more than 15,000 hours of content, including 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Yellowstone, Law & Order: SVU, and more. Eventually, the service is expected to be offered in three tiers, with an ad-supported free tier, a premium with ads tier, and a premium without ads tier all available.
With Peacock having now gone live for Comcast Xfinity customers, they can expect access to the premium with ads tier for free. This level of access is expected to cost $4.99 per month, but is being gifted to those customers at no additional cost. Although Comcast Xfinity customers can opt to pay $4.99 per month to go ad-free, a level of access that will cost $9.99 per month to non-Comcast customers when the service goes live on July 15.
Peacock arrives at an unusual time
The early access launch of Peacock arrives at an unusual time considering the coronavirus outbreak has affected many industries. Streaming services appear to be one of those that are doing well at this time due to how many people are now subject to a lockdown order with little to do other than watch the TV.
Due to this, many services have seen an uptick in usage although it remains to be seen how receptive the market is right now to new entries. This is not just a problem for Peacock as Quibi launched recently and that too is facing a launch under difficult circumstances.
Unlike Peacock, Quibi faces even more of an uphill battle at the moment considering its launch was a full launch and this is a service designed specifically for use on mobile devices and when away from home. In spite of the fact many are unable to leave their homes right now, it has not stopped plenty from downloading the app and taking advantage of an extended free trial.
How many remain subscribers after the free trial ends remains to be seen. That’s less likely to be an issue with Peacock when it launches properly in July, due to its free tier.
Source: Peacock
