It's no secret as to why Comcast is eager to get rid of the box requirement despite the profit it can make from leasing gear to customers. The reduced service costs could deter cord-cutters put off by all the extra fees that go into cable. Also, this helps lock customers in. If you know your set has built-in Xfinity TV support but would (usually) need extra gear to tune into a rival like DirecTV, which service would you prefer? Whatever Comcast loses in service fees it makes up for with more subscribers.