X (re-)launch TV app

The app formerly known as Twitter is doubling down on video content, this time releasing a TV app.

Or re-releasing a TV app, we should say.

A history with video content. Here’s a brief recap:

• 2015. Twitter starts supporting (up to 30sec) videos.

• 2016. Twitter launches a bunch of TV apps on Apple TV, Fire TV, and Xbox One.

• 2018. Twitter shuts most of its TV apps down due to a lack of revenue.

• crickets

• 2021. Twitter explores adding videos to a ‘For You’ feed to combat TikTok.

• 2022.

  • Twitter launches full-screen videos, perfect for doomscrolling.

  • Some guy buys Twitter for a penny or two.

  • That same guy (Elon, obviously) pushes for more video content, increasing their limits to up to 60mins.

• 2024. Twitter (now X) teases a new TV app.

Why videos? Why TV? Why? It’s clear X is struggling to generate cash. Advertising revenue dropped by half since Elon took over. X, once valued at $44 billion, is now underwritten at $12.5 billion.

Ouch.

This TV app is one spaghetto thrown at the wall of potentially lucrative ideas, along with a video conference app and video calls between users.