Xumo isn’t really bringing anything new to the video streaming market, but it’s combining the best parts of Netflix and YouTube to create an app that might be near-essential for cord-cutters. The app functions in much the same way that Pluto.tv does, in that it’s essentially a cable guide for Internet videos, but what makes Xumo special is that it focuses on premium content creators like BuzzFeed and Vice. It creates continuously-running channels that are categorized by the content creator, and lets users scroll through the channels like they would on a cable guide.
Flipping through the channels on LG smart TVs will soon yield some new results, with the inclusion of Internet-based channels from Xumo. Xumo is a streaming-video service that combines Internet videos into continuously running channels. Each channel revolves around a particular brand or publisher, including BuzzFeed, The Young Turks, GQ, and Vice, and shows up in a program guide that users can scroll through. At CES, LG announced that its WebOS 3.0 Smart TV platform will have Xumo’s service baked into the channel guide—a service that LG is calling “Channel Plus.” But that won’t be the only place where Xumo is available. Its app is also getting built into smart TVs from Vizio (with a dedicated button on the remote) and Panasonic. The company is also planning standalone apps for streaming boxes such as Apple TV and Roku. The idea of stringing Internet videos into live channels is not new. Another example is Pluto.tv, whose app is already available on mobile devices, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV. I’ve previously written that Pluto is the most underrated app for people who’ve cut cable TV.
