Fortune: Elon Musk’s X Set to Launch YouTube Alternative for Amazon and Samsung Smart TVs

According to an unnamed source at the social media company, Elon Musk’s X is set to release a television app for Amazon and Samsung smart televisions next week, as reported by Fortune.

Musk aims to encourage users to watch longer videos on a bigger screen and is ready to compete with YouTube, the person said. The new app looks “identical” to YouTube’s TV app, the person added.

Live-streaming platform Twitch, encrypted messaging app Signal and social media forum Reddit are other services Musk is looking to compete with, according to Fortune.

X Hopes attracts creators, turn on YouTube with new ad targeting

Elon Musk’s X adds new advertiser targeting features to better attract video creators and compete against YouTube.

X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, will allow advertisers to run ads before videos from creators of their choice later this month, the company said in a statement Monday. Advertisers can display ads on the main timeline and on the creator’s profile.

The new ads include revenue sharing, giving X’s 80,000 creators another way to monetize their videos. A spokesperson for X declined to disclose the percentage of ad revenue it shares with content creators. The company previously announced that it had paid more than $20 million. Google’s YouTube gives content creators 55% of the ad revenue associated with their videos.

Musk has tried to push the company toward higher-quality video content in recent months, adding partners including former CNN host Don Lemon and World Wrestling Entertainment to produce shows for the service. He has spoken several times about his desire for X to compete with YouTube and has reached out to some content creators directly. Last month, he praised YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, known to his followers as MrBeast, for posting his first video on X.

Musk’s efforts are part of an effort to lure back marketers after his takeover of the chaotic platform led to a more than 50% drop in ad revenue. Last year, ad sales were estimated at about $2.5 billion, falling short of the company’s $3 billion target, Bloomberg reported.