Elon Musk's X to launch a television app, challenging YouTube

X CEO Linda Yaccarino said the X TV app will be available soon to most smart TVs

X, the social network previously known as Twitter, plans to soon launch a dedicated television app as part of the company's deeper push into video content and take on rivals such as Google's YouTube.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino said on April 23 the new app would bring "real-time, engaging content" to smart TVs, providing consumers a "high-quality, immersive entertainment experience on a larger screen".

The X TV app would be available soon to most smart TVs, she said, without sharing a launch date.

The app will feature a trending video algorithm to help users stay updated with tailored popular content along with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered topics that will organise video by subject to offer a personalised experience. An improved video search would help users find content faster.

X TV app will feature a trending video algorithm to help users stay updated with tailored popular content

X TV app will support cross-device viewing, which will allow users to start watching a video on their smartphones and later continue watching it on their smart TVs. They be also be able to cast the videos from their mobile devices to the TV screen.

The app will feature a user interface that resembles that of YouTube, the teaser video released by the company showed. It also indicates the app will allow users to like and bookmark videos.

The launch comes as Yaccarino aims to position X as a "video-first platform" and woo creators to release more content on the platform, enabling the social media firm to attract more users and boost its flailing advertising business.

Read: Elon Musk's X unveils 2024 plans: AI-powered experiences, peer-to-peer payments, and more

In January, the company announced new shows with former US congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, sports radio commentator Jim Rome, and former CNN anchor Don Lemon, joining former Fox News host Tucker Carlson who launched his show on X in June.

in April, X owner Elon Musk cancelled Lemon's show after appearing on it as a guest for the first episode.

In February, X struck a two-year deal with World Wrestling Entertainment to launch a new weekly series called WWE Speed later in year, which will showcase wrestling matches of up to five minutes. The company plans to release about 52 episodes a year.

People have watched about 385 million hours worth of video on X in the last month, the social media firm said on April 23.

In January, it claimed that people watched the equivalent of 130 years' worth of videos 30 minutes or longer in December, seeking to highlight the growing popularity of long-form content on the platform.