Comcast is launching the newest model of its X1 voice remote.
The newly designed voice remote is the latest version, following on Comcast’s XR11 model, which was introduced in 2015. Since then, Comcast has delivered 18 million of the XR11s, with customers completing nearly half a billion voice commands in November, Jonathan Palmatier, VP of product development and consumer devices at Comcast, said in a blog post about the launch.
The new design moves the placement of the blue microphone button that is used to send voice commands to the X1 platform.
“After researching how customers hold and use the remote, our design team placed the round blue button directly where the thumb naturally rests,” Palmatier wrote. “That button is also in the center of the remote, larger than every other button and made from a distinct material so it can be identified by touch alone.
A few commands Comcast announced include the ability to go forward or backward by saying a specific time increment, such as “go back 20 seconds,” or “go forward 10 minutes.” Users can also ask, “what song is this?” to find out the artist and title of a song playing in a commercial, TV show or movie. These new features will be available on the newest model, as well as the legacy X1 voice remote.
Palmatier noted that these are just a couple of the new features Comcast is sharing, as new features like commands for the connected home and improved Spanish-language commands will be revealed in the coming weeks.
The latest version of the company’s X1 remote, along with a Comcast wireless set-top box and 4K set-top box, received Red Dot Design Awards earlier this year.
