The last service to join the broadcast wars is none other than NBCUniversal’s Peacock. Launched on July 15, the service features thousands of hours of content from movies to TV shows to original programming. However, it is not available on the two most popular platforms: Amazon Fire TV or Roku devices, just like HBO Max. And the PS4 Peacock app won’t arrive until the week of July 20.
The lack of availability of Peacock on Roku and Fire TV is another sign of the complex relationship between the companies that own the transmission services and those that manufacture the devices and platforms on which they can be seen. A report in Variety suggests that the failure of Peacock, and HBO before him, to secure a deal with Roku or Amazon is due to ad revenue issues and the fact that streaming companies want users to watch their movies and shows. through natives. applications, allowing them to collect viewing data from subscribers.
However, the huge popularity of Roku and Fire TV means that millions of potential subscribers will not be able to access Peacock. It was recently estimated that there are 80 million Roku and Fire TV users, representing 70% of all streaming devices in the US.
In a statement to CNET, a Peacock spokeswoman suggested that the blame fell on the feet of Roku and Amazon. The statement reads: “The Peacock app is ready to launch across platforms at the push of a switch. We believe it is important for consumers to know that Peacock is free to use and free for any platform that wants to distribute it.
“If Peacock is not available on a platform at launch, it is not because we have not made it available, and not because we have not made it available for free. Consumers have purchased these devices with the expectation that they will be able to access all applications, so we expect all platforms to do the right thing for their users and take it. “
Peacock launched with three price levels, namely:
- Free: 7,500 hours of advertising programming. Includes current seasons of television shows, movies, television classics, news and sports, Hispanics, broadcast channels, and more.
- $ 5 a month: 15,000 hours of advertising programming. It includes everything on the previous level, plus original series, 4K / UHD viewing, premium moves, full store pole series, and more.
- $ 10 a month: all at previous levels, no ads.
For more information, see the GameSpot guide on where you can see Peacock and what originals are available at launch.
