The big picture: Walmart is reportedly in talks with Comcast about developing and distributing smart televisions together. If a deal does come to fruition, it would give Comcast an opportunity to market to a wider array of consumers. The company brings a wealth of experience to the table through decades of participation in cable distribution but as the landscape shifts, Comcast realizes that it must adapt.
Sources familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal that per the deal being discussed, Walmart would promote smart TVs running Comcast software. The retail giant would reportedly receive a share of recurring revenue from Comcast.
Sources said the televisions would likely be manufactured by a third party and carry Walmart branding.
Comcast has already made inroads with its Peacock streaming service; a smart TV platform would give them another avenue to promote that service.
For what it's worth, Walmart already has a similar pact in place with Roku, selling products under the Onn brand.
A spokesperson for Walmart told the publication that they are constantly having conversations with current and new suppliers about innovation and new products they can bring to customers, but added that they don't share details of those discussions. A spokesperson for Comcast declined to comment on the matter.
It's worth mentioning that the discussions between Comcast and Walmart are reportedly in the early stages and might not advance further.
Image credit: Sergey Ryzhov, Ken Wolter