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Tag: disney

  • Disney+ may close gap with Netflix by 20 million subscribers this year

    Disney+ may close gap with Netflix by 20 million subscribers this year

    Ever since Disney+ got off to a strong start in November 2019, you might have noticed Netflix executives wearing more frowns than usual. While Netflix is the top provider of streaming video content on this planet, Disney+ has used its strong slate of Marvel-related programming and original Pixar titles to pick up ground on Netflix. Last week Disney reported that it had 116 million subscribers during the second quarter compared to the consensus expectations of 112.8 million.

    For the three months from April through June, 12.4 million new subscribers joined Disney+; compare that with the measly 1.5 million net new subscribers that joined Netflix during the same three-month period. During the previous quarter Netflix added 4 million net new subscribers and expects 3.5 million for the current quarter. If you’re wondering if Disney can surpass Netflix at the current rates, let’s look at the numbers.

    According to Rosenblatt analyst Mark Zgutowicz, Disney+ is approximately 90 million subscribers behind Netflix but should pick up 20 million new customers on Netflix this year. If this were to continue, Disney would jump over Netflix in five years.

    Many analysts never expected Disney+ to challenge Netflix as they considered the former to offer content mostly for children unlike the more varied categories of video streams that Netflix offers. The truth, however, is that Disney+ has content for subscribers of all ages from pre-schoolers to adults. The recent Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) based mini-series including WandaVision and Loki put up some huge ratings and Disney has already announced that Thor’s brother will star in another season of the show.

    Globally Netflix has 209 million paying subscribers with 74 million of these customers living in the U.S. and Canada. Including Hotstar, Disney’s high volume but low revenue service in India, Disney+ has 116 million users worldwide. If you add Hulu and ESPN, the grand total for Disney’s streaming services amounts to close to 174 million subscribers.

    If Netflix and Disney+ are considered numbers one and two when it comes to streaming video content, HBO Max might be a legitimate third place challenger. It has 67.5 million global subscribers with 47 million of them in the states. It also outperformed Netflix in Q2 by adding 3.6 million global subscribers and 2.8 million in the U.S. It’s ARPU weighs in at $11.90.

    One area where Netflix holds a huge lead over Disney+ is with the average revenue per user (ARPU). In the U.S. Netflix garners $14.54 per subscriber compared to the measly global ARPU of $4.16 that  Disney+ has been collecting. That figure has been hit hard by Hotstar’s strong growth. Disney CEO Bob Chapek has announced that November 12th will be “Disney+ Day” with the company using cross-promotion to bolster subscription numbers.

    Rivals to Disney+ and Netflix include Amazon Prime Video, but the $12.99 monthly cost of the service actually covers the free overnight shipping that Prime members are known to receive with Amazon’s streaming video inventory basically a free throw-in. More than 175 million Prime members streamed Amazon’s video content over the last year, but you cannot compare the service to Netflix or Disney+.

    NBCUniversal’s Peacock adds paid subscribers with free users to generate a metric it calls “sign-ups.” Thanks to the platform’s Olympics coverage, Peacock had 54 million sign-ups, up 12 million on a sequential basis. Viacom/CBS has various streaming services (Paramount+, CBS All Access, Showtime, and other smaller services) that add up to 42 million subscribers. That is up 6.1 million subscribers sequentially for a 17%  quarter vs. quarter hike.

  • Disney+ blows past 100 million subscriber milestone even as its growth starts to slow down

    Disney+ blows past 100 million subscriber milestone even as its growth starts to slow down

    As heated as the battle for global supremacy in the crowded video streaming space may have seemed just a couple of years ago, it has become increasingly clear in recent months that the market is largely headed for a duopoly.

    That’s because the likes of Apple TV+, HBO Max, and Peacock are not really going anywhere while Disney+ is practically going everywhere, growing at a Netflix-threatening pace quarter after quarter.

    As expected at the end of last year, the late 2019-released streaming service has concluded the first quarter of 2021 well above the 100 million subscriber mark. Namely, Disney Plus counted a grand total of 103.6 million users around the world as of April 3, up from “just” 94.9 million subscribers on January 2, 2021.

    That’s a huge number for the ever-expanding Walt Disney Company no matter how you look at it, inching closer to Netflix’s industry-leading 208 million paid subscriber base last updated in April for Q1 2021.

    While the gap between the two streaming giants may seem substantial (because it is), Disney+ has impressively managed to eat away at the global champ’s advantage ever since it made its debut back in November 2019. This year’s first quarter is no exception, although for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, both Netflix and Disney+ failed to meet the expectations of industry pundits.

    Following 29 and 28 percent surges in worldwide subscribers in Q3 and Q4 2020 compared to their previous quarters, Disney+ had to settle for the aforementioned 8.7 million sequential growth, equating to less than 10 percent, which was still more than enough to outpace Netflix’s modest 4 million or so gain during Q1 2021.

    If current projections hold up, Disney+ could reach anywhere between 230 and 260 million paid global subscribers by the end of 2024, which is when the streaming platform’s parent company originally expected the service to sit at no more than 90 million users.

    In comparison (although it’s obviously not a very fair one), Netflix broke the 100 million barrier at some point in 2017 after being founded in 1997 and branching out from the DVD sales and rental business to the online world in 2007.

    Meanwhile, in case you’re wondering, mum’s the word on the paying subscriber figures of Apple TV+, which pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the much-hyped platform that essentially saw daylight at the same time as Disney+.

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  • Disney+ is raising its US prices today

    Disney+ is raising its US prices today

    Disney+, which as of this month has 100 million subscribers, is nothing short of a global phenomenon thanks to its huge catalog of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and National Geographic content.

    That catalog keeps growing in size, though, so Disney+ has decided that now’s the right time to raise its prices in the United States, after already increasing them in Europe last month.

    Starting this Friday, March 26, the monthly cost of Disney+ is going up by $1 to $7.99 per month. The Disney subscription service is also raising the price of its yearly subscription plan, from $69.99 to $79.99.

    Disney offers a bundle subscription package that includes Hulu and ESPN+, in addition to Disney+. The ad-supported tier will go from $12.99 to $13.99 a month on Friday, while the ad-free version is going from $18.99 to $19.99 per month.

    The good news is that you still have time to get Disney+ at its original price. Today is your last chance to sign up to Disney+ for $6.99 per month or $69.99 a year. The same can be said for the Hulu & ESPN+ bundle.

    As a reminder, here are some of the popular movies and TV shows Disney+ offers:

    • The Mandalorian
    • Falcon and the Winter Soldier
    • WandaVision
    • Mulan
    • Soul
    • Incredibles 2
    • Avengers: Endgame
    • Marvel Studios: Legends
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  • Disney closing North American stores to focus on e-commerce

    Disney closing North American stores to focus on e-commerce

    Walt Disney Co will close at least 60 Disney retail stores in North America this year, about 20 per cent of its worldwide total, as it revamps its digital shopping platforms to focus on e-commerce.

    The media and entertainment company also is evaluating a significant reduction of stores in Europe, a spokesperson said, adding that locations in Japan and China will not be affected. Disney currently operates roughly 300 Disney stores around the globe.

    In November, Disney launched digital marketplaces in Australia, New Zealand and India.

    The company did not say how many people would lose their jobs as a result of the closures.

    Consumers have been moving to digital shopping over physical locations, and chains including Walmart and Macy’s have shuttered brick-and-mortar stores. The global coronavirus pandemic accelerated that change when people were forced to stay home.

    “While consumer behaviour has shifted toward online shopping, the global pandemic has changed what consumers expect from a retailer,” said Stephanie Young, president of Disney’s consumer products, games and publishing.

    Over the past few years, Disney has expanded its shops inside other retailers such as Target in the US and Alshaya Group stores in the Middle East. Those locations will continue to operate, as well as stores inside Disney parks. Disney-licensed products also will remain widely available through third-party retailers.

    Disney will overhaul its shopDisney apps and websites over the next year.

    “We now plan to create a more flexible, interconnected ecommerce experience that gives consumers easy access to unique, high-quality products across all our franchises,” Young said.

    Digital shopping gives Disney a chance to offer a much broader selection and include higher-end products from all of its Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars brands.

    New products will include adult apparel, artist collaborations, premium home products and collectibles, the company said. It recently unveiled streetwear featuring Grogu, the “Star Wars” character popularly known as Baby Yoda.

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  • Coach launches Disney Mickey Mouse x Keith Haring Line

    Coach launches Disney Mickey Mouse x Keith Haring Line

    What happens when two American icons get together? A new collection that paints Disney’s Mickey Mouse in a whole new light. Stuart Vevers isn’t the only one who was inspired by the art of Walt Disney. Artist Keith Haring learned to draw Mickey Mouse from a Disney “how-to-draw” book at his grandmother’s house, and considered following in Disney’s footsteps by becoming a cartoonist. Although that didn’t come to pass, it did pave a path that ultimately led Haring to study fine art. Those initial references never left him and became a part of his now-famous style.

    Now Vevers, creative director of Coach, has created the Disney Mickey Mouse x Keith Haring collection of apparel and accessories. A campaign, created in collaboration with photographer Alessandro Simonetti features Kaia Gerber, Cole Sprouse, Koki, Xiao Wen Ju and Myles O’Neal and was shot in the streets in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Guangzhou and Tokyo, in scenes intended to be reminiscent of New York in the Eighties, where Haring lived and worked.

    The collection of glove-tanned leather bags topped with Mickey Mouse ears, along with shearling jackets, totes and sweatshirts, is printed with Haring’s illustrations of the famous rodent from the Eighties. The special-edition collection celebrates Pop Art and is intended to reflect Haring’s belief that art should be for everyone. The illustrations used on the line include Andy Mouse, Haring’s interpretation of his hero, Andy Warhol, drawn as Mickey Mouse.

    “Sometimes the best design comes from the most unlikely juxtapositions, and I can’t think of a cultural clash that brings me more joy than Mickey Mouse and Keith Haring,” Vevers said. “Ahead of its time when it was first made, this art feels so timely today as we can celebrate and appreciate the diverse work of great creators whoever they may be, without social boundaries. As my collections over the years have shown, I love Disney and I love Keith Haring, so this collaboration makes for my ultimate treat.”

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  • Disney arrives with ShopDisney in India

    Disney arrives with ShopDisney in India

    Disney India on Tuesday forayed into the e-commerce space with the launch of its online marketplace ‘shopDisney.’ This will give Disney fans across the country access to authentic toys and accessories related to Marvel’s Avengers, Spider-Man, Mickey and Friends, Disney Princess and Frozen, among others.

    “With shopDisney, our endeavour is to bring genuine Disney-licensed products inspired by our stories and characters to every household in the country. shopDisney will extend the magic of Disney and be a truly immersive experience for kids and families wherever and whenever they want,” said Sanjeet Mehta, executive director and head, consumer products, Disney India.

    Disney India said at launch, over 3,000 items across various categories, including fashion, toys, apparel, back-to-school, accessories, and gifts will be available on the e-commerce site with delivery to more than 500 cities across India.

    “The product line-up will continue to grow to ensure consumers can always find what they want, to add the magic of Disney into their daily lives,” the company added.

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  • Disney+ hits a crucial figure four years ahead of expectations

    Disney+ hits a crucial figure four years ahead of expectations

    The Disney+ streaming service launched on November 12th and after just two weeks we called it “a real threat to Netflix.” While that was met by more than a few skeptics among our loyal readers saying that we jumped the gun, the streamer has gone from strength to strength. According to Today, the House of Mouse released its fiscal third-quarter earnings and announced that as of Monday, Disney+ had 60.5 million paid subscribers. The company’s goal of reaching 60 million to 90 million paid subscribers by 2024 was achieved four years earlier than expected thanks to the pandemic.

    With many families locked inside because of the coronavirus outbreak, Disney+ provided entertainment featuring characters well-loved by parents and their children. And this afternoon, the entertainment firm announced that with movie theaters still closed, the live-action version of Mulan will launch exclusively on Disney+. The film will debut on the site beginning September 4th. However, it will still cost subscribers an additional $29.99 to watch the film on the platform.

    And as if we needed another streaming service in the world, Disney also announced an upcoming new “general entertainment” streamer that will debut next year; it will use the Star brand that Disney acquired from Fox. The streaming content offered by this streamer will include titles from companies already owned by Disney such as ABC Studios, Fox Television, FX, Freeform, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight. In many markets, the new service will be integrated with Disney+.

    While the most up-to-date numbers show 60.5 million paid subscribers for Disney+, during the fiscal third quarter that figure was 57.5 million while Hulu had 35.5 subscribers. Add in the 8.5 million ESPN+ paid members during the same three months and overall Disney had over 100 million subscribers paying for its streaming services.

    The real test for Disney will come on Disney+’s one-year anniversary. That’s because the initial batch of Verizon’s unlimited subscribers, who receive a free one-year Disney+ subscription, will have to decide whether or not they want to lay out their own money to continue receiving the service. Unlike most things, Disney, Disney+ is actually very reasonably priced at $6.99 per month or $69.99 for a year. Each account can include seven different user-profiles and four can stream on different screens simultaneously.

    While it is obvious that Disney+ includes Disney’s classic animation like Cinderella, the Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast, it also includes Pixar classics like all of the Toy Story films. If you grew up on Disney Channel shows like That’s So Raven, Even Stevens, Hannah Montana, and Lizzie McGuire, they are all on the app as well. And some shows that were broadcast on network television while produced by Disney, such as the very underrated Boy Meets World, make great binge-watching fare. Star Wars fans can view every film from the series and relive the moments when you first met characters like Luke, Darth Vader, R2D2, and Jar Jar Binks. Other Star Wars related titles can be streamed include Disney+’s first breakout hit The Mandalorian which introduced us to the adorable Baby Yoda.

    Marvel fans can turn to Disney+ to watch the Avengers, Iron Man, and Black Panther films. And adventure junkies will surely find content to watch under the National Geographic heading on the app. While the service might not cater to all tastes as Netflix does, you shouldn’t have a problem discovering something to stream on Disney+.

    Discussing the results of its streaming services during the quarter, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said, “Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, we’ve continued to build on the incredible success of Disney+ as we grow our global direct-to-consumer business. The global reach of our full portfolio of direct-to-consumer services now exceeds an astounding 100 million paid subscriptions — a significant milestone and a reaffirmation of our DTC strategy, which we view as key to the future growth of our company.”

    If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can download Disney+ from the Apple App Store. Those with an Android device can do the same from the Google Play Store. And the app can be loaded on the web at www.disneyplus.com. But be careful. Watch Disney+ for too long and you might start feeling a little goofy.

  • Disney+ app update adds data saver mode on iPhones, iPads

    Disney+ app update adds data saver mode on iPhones, iPads

    The way that Disney is expanding and improving its streaming service across the world is a real tour de force. Disney+ accomplished what took Netflix 7 years in just five months. Two weeks ago, the streaming video service confirmed it has more than 50 million subscribers.

    Even the small things like launching a mobile app or improving streaming quality on all platforms contributed to Disney+’s impressive rise. One of those smaller improvements has just been pushed to Disney+ subscribers using iOS devices.

    The iOS app has just received an update that introduces an extra layer of security and, as the title says, some sort of data saver mode. With the latest version of Disney+, you will be able to choose to log out of your account across all devices when want to reset your email or password.

    Also, the mobile app will now allow iOS users to choose the video playback quality on their home network to save data. Two new options are now available in the app – Automatic and Save Data. If you choose the latter, Disney+ will cap streaming speed to standard quality, whereas Automatic option can theoretically stream up to 4K UHD.

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  • Netflix CEO admits Disney+ hurt it in the U.S.

    Netflix CEO admits Disney+ hurt it in the U.S.

    Netflix on Tuesday announced its fourth-quarter earnings for 2019 and the streaming video company reported the addition of 420,000 net new subscribers in the U.S. during the period. But before you use that stat as proof that the November launch of Disney+ did not effect Netflix during the fourth quarter, guess again. The company expected that it would report 600,000 new subscribers in the states for the period. The 180,000 subscriber shortfall might have been related to the strong start that Disney+ got off to, with 10 million subscribers signed up in the first 24 hours.
    Netflix CEO Reed Hastings admitted after the earnings announcement that Disney+ has “great” content and said that the rival streamer’s strong lineup “takes away a little from us.” While Netflix often falls short of its estimates (it happens half the time, says the Times), Netflix stated that during this past quarter it was impacted by the seven weeks that Disney+ was up and running during the fourth quarter. In the states, Netflix has 61 million subscribers and expects that figure to keep rising until it hits 90 million.
    Netflix added 8.4 million net new subscribers globally from October through December and set company records for the number of subscribers it picked up in Latin America, Asia and Europe during the period. On a quarterly basis, Netflix saw its global subscriber list rise 5.5% bringing the total to 167.1 million customers.
    Netflix will also have some more competition coming starting in the second quarter of this year when NBC Universal’s Peacock streamer launches. The latter’s inventory of content will include extremely popular fare including The Office. NBC/Universal reportedly paid $500 million for a five-year exclusive run for the sitcom on Peacock starting in 2021. The service will have two ad-supported tiers that will be free to Comcast and Cox subscribers although anyone can pay $4.99 a month for the Premium service. Comcast and Cox subscribers can also pay a monthly fee for ad-free streaming.
    Hastings doesn’t expect that Disney+ will negatively impact Netflix in the long term. “Most of their growth in the future is coming out of the linear TV,” the executive said. And frankly, the same might turn out to be true for Peacock.
    During the fourth quarter, Netflix reported net income of $570 million or $1.30 per share. That compares to net of $134 million or 30 cents per share during 2018’s fourth quarter. But last year’s quarter includes a $438 million tax benefit. Revenue rose 30% from the $4.2 billion recorded during 2018’s Q4 to $5.7 billion in 2019. The company announced that The Witcher was viewed by 76 million member households. But Netflix has changed the definition of a view to mean that a subscriber “chose to watch and did watch for at least 2 minutes — long enough to indicate the choice was intentional.” Previously, a viewer had to watch 70% or more of an episode or film to qualify as a view. As a result, Netflix’s future view counts will be hiked by 35%. For example, the number of views credited to Our Planet went from 33 million under the old definition to 45 million using the new definition.
    For the current quarter, Netflix estimates that it will add 7 million net new subscribers globally vs the 9.6 million it added during last year’s first quarter. Netflix expects to see elevated churn levels in the U.S. from January through March. Once again alluding to Disney+, the company’s Chief Financial Officer Spencer Neumann said that Netflix has been experiencing “some elevated churn from pricing and competition.”
  • Disney+ is removing content but not the way that Netflix does

    Disney+ is removing content but not the way that Netflix does

    Disney+ is certainly off to a great start. Back in November, 10 million subscribers signed up in the first 24 hours although some of those were Verizon customers taking advantage of a free year of service. Others might have signed up for a free seven-day trial that everyone gets to use one time to try the service. The video streaming app might not have as wide a range of content as Netflix, but with titles from the Disney Channel, Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm (including Star Wars) and National Geographic, there is something for everyone.

    Just two weeks after its debut on Disney+, The Mandalorian was the most-watched television series in the U.S. on any platform. The episodic series is part of the Star Wars universe and has already had a breakout “star” in Baby Yoda. The series is so important to the service that some Disney+ subscribers have already let their monthly subscription lapse  now that the first season of The Mandalorian has ended. Unlike Netflix, Disney drops its new episodes weekly instead of all at once, and those departing Disney+ say that they will return in the fall when the show’s second season is expected to premiere. By leaving Disney+ and returning for The Mandalorian’s next season, these consumers are saving $6.99 for each month they wait on the sideline.

    Fans of The Mandalorian aren’t the only “things” that are leaving Disney+. Several movie titles have disappeared from the app. Films such as Home Alone, Home Alone 2, The Sandlot, Dr. Dolittle, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides ended their run on Disney+ once the calendar hit 2020. Unlike Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streamers, Disney removed these movies without making any announcement; the other services provide their subscribers with an advanced warning to give them one last shot at watching a particular film or series before it is removed.

    Disney has been promoting new additions to Disney+ and has never hinted that non-classic content would stay on the service forever. As for classic Disney movies, a spokesman said last year that “there will not be a ‘rotating slate’ of licensed movies each month […] With Disney Plus, beloved classics from the Disney vault will now stream in a permanent home, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King — the entire 13-film Signature Collection — all available on day one.”

    Polygon’s sources say that legacy deals made before the development of the streaming site is the reason for the departure of non-classic titles. Once those deals are completed, the movies removed could return to Disney+ permanently. For example, one of the top movies on Disney+ is Marvel’s Black Panther. In 2026, streaming rights for the film revert back to Netflix where the movie was found before the launch of Disney’s video streamer. Ironically, Disney does own all of the content on Disney+ even though it must abide by previously agreed to contracts with other streamers.

    There remains the possibility that some deals could be renegotiated. That’s how Disney was able to wrest away Star Wars: The Force Awakens from Starz. As it is, besides Black Panther, Netflix is expected to have Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Coco and some other films back in its inventory by 2026. Sure, that seems so far away but before you know it, it will be time for Disney to jettison those titles.

    Speaking of Netflix, as of last month one million of the latter’s subscribers were “stolen” away by Disney+ according to brokerage firm Cowen & Co. And while that might not have Netflix executives quaking in their shoes, a survey conducted by Rosenblatt Securities analyst Bernie McTernan found that 29% of Disney+ subscribers dropped a rival streaming service to join Disney’s offering; 9% specifically left Netflix. Disney’s goal is to hit 60 million to 90 million paying customers worldwide by the end of its fiscal year 2024. At last count, Netflix had 158.3 million global subscribers.

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  • Disney+ is already rocking the streaming industry with incredibly early milestone

    Disney+ is already rocking the streaming industry with incredibly early milestone

    One full year of hyping after Disney formally threw its hat in the Netflix-dominated video streaming ring, the most highly anticipated new platform of 2019 finally made its commercial debut yesterday, November 12. Today, November 13, the Mouse House is already boasting about the insane subscriber numbers of Disney+, which might explain why it was initially so tricky for so many users to access their family-friendly content.

    According to CNBC, which is quoting an official company announcement, no less than 10 million people have signed up for the surprisingly affordable and incredibly extensive VOD service roughly 24 hours after its Tuesday launch. While the platform’s free 7-day trial makes it impossible to know how many of those “subscribers” will actually end up paying for the service, the figure remains outstanding, giving Disney the perfect start in a very competitive and increasingly crowded market.

    It’s obviously not fair to make these comparisons, but Netflix barely added 6.8 million paying subscribers worldwide between July and September this year for a grand total of more than 158 million people, with Hulu, which just so happens to also be owned by Disney, lagging far behind, at around 28 million subscribers as of the end of Q1 2019, up by 3 million compared to the previous quarter.

    It’s almost hard to imagine just how fast Disney+ will be able to expand its reach when it becomes available around the world. Don’t forget, the November 12 launch was a US, Canada, and Netherlands-only thing, which makes the 10 million milestones that much more impressive. Then again, one important thing that may have helped inflate the number somewhat artificially (apart from the aforementioned free trial) is Verizon’s killer deal for both new and existing customers.

    Of course, Apple TV+ started off with a similarly “unfair” advantage over Netflix earlier this month, as recent iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, and Apple TV buyers are all eligible for a free year of service, and we’re not seeing the Cupertino-based tech giant crowing over the platform’s achievements… yet.

    Clearly, the Disney+ debut can be considered a smash hit, which obviously makes sense given the sheer size and mainstream appeal of its library, as well as the low $6.99 monthly rate, all the premium features and perks included in that price, and the fact you can even share your account with family members and friends… for the time being.

  • Disney+ goes up for pre-order in the US with no special discounts

    Disney+ goes up for pre-order in the US with no special discounts

    If you remain undecided between retaining your Netflix and chill rights and giving a newcomer to the increasingly crowded video streaming market a shot to impress you, it might be a good idea to think and act fast. At least if you’re considering becoming an early Disney+ adopter.

    While the high-profile service owned by The Walt Disney Company is still scheduled to start streaming for the masses on November 12, you can already pre-order either a monthly or yearly subscription in the US. Unfortunately, both options appear to be available at their regular prices, so it’s unclear why one would want to rush and pay $6.99 or $69.99 in advance… apart from scoring bragging rights.

    Then again, those are already significantly lower rates than what Netflix is typically charging for a similar albeit richer product. As reported in a European pilot program, the Disney+ library is far from impressive for the time being, including a limited number of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic titles.

    ut the list is expected to grow at a solid pace with new original feature films like “Lady and the Tramp” and “Noelle” this holiday season, highly anticipated series like “WandaVision”, “Loki”, and “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” in the next couple of years, as well as various exclusive documentaries and “short-form content.”

    Ultimately, you’ll have to decide for yourselves if a decent start and a bunch of big promises will be enough to make you turn your back on the likes of Netflix, HBO, and Hulu. Of course, you can also bundle Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN+ for the insanely affordable monthly rate of $12.99, but that special offer is actually not available during the pre-order period of the new streaming service Apple will try to challenge at an even lower price point.

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  • Disney+ will offer 4K video, four simultaneous streams and more for only $6.99 per month

    Disney+ will offer 4K video, four simultaneous streams and more for only $6.99 per month

    Disney+, the beloved entertainment company’s new streaming service, will launch on November 12th priced at $6.99 per month. During the D23 Expo held in Anaheim, the company revealed some additional information about the Netflix competitor. For example, instead of dropping a whole season of an original show at one time, Disney will release them on a weekly basis. And the House of Mouse will allow Disney+ subscribers to stream content to as many as four devices at the same time and will not charge extra for 4K video streams. Subscribers will also be able to create up to seven different user profiles.

    Netflix, on the other hand, is known for releasing entire seasons of new shows at one time, encouraging the binge-watching crowd to watch a complete season of a show in one sitting. While it allows up to five profiles to be created, Netflix subscribers must pay more ($15.99 per month) for 4K resolution and to stream on four devices simultaneously. This is a strange position for Disney to be in, as many fans of its theme parks will attest to (a one-day ticket to one park is a princely $109). But there is plenty of competition for your subscription dollars and Disney+ needs to bring in some revenue before it can even think about matching Netflix in terms of cost.

    “With less than three months until launch, Disney+ will soon entertain and inspire audiences of all ages for generations to come, and we’re excited to preview some of the amazing original content being created for the service exclusively from our world-class brands today at the D23 Expo. Storytelling is the cornerstone of The Walt Disney Company and we’re thrilled to unveil a new slate of original shows from the Star Wars and Marvel cinematic universes, along with popular television franchises set to return with all-new series streaming only on Disney+.”-Kevin Mayer, chairman, Direct-to-Consumer & International segment, Disney.

    Disney+ will be a mixture of classic Disney movies and animation (don’t forget that Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox means that the service will include every episode of The Simpsons) and original shows. The company has access to quite a few popular titles that will be used to create new adventures of popular characters. As pointed out earlier this year in a report from Loup Ventures, how many times can someone watch The Lion King? More likely to drive growth for Disney+ will be new episodes using the same characters from popular Disney classic cartoon and live films.

    Disney announced yesterday that new originals are in development for Disney+ including:

    • The Mandalorian-the first live-action episodic series based on Star Wars which will follow “the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.”
    • High School Musical: The Musical: The Series-based on the popular High School Musical movies, this show “follows a group of students as they countdown to opening night of their school’s first-ever production of High School Musical.”
    • Lady and the Tramp-A “retelling” of the 1955 animated cartoon, but with real animal stars and CGI.
    • Noelle-A holiday-themed movie starring Anna Kendrick and Billy Eichner.
    • Encore!-This series brings former high-school musical castmates together to recreate shows they performed many years ago.
    • The World According to Jeff Goldblum-Enough said.

    Other shows announced include the return of Hilary Duff as Lizzie McGuire in a new series, Muppets Now which will reunite Kermit and Miss Piggy, and another live-action Star Wars show. The latter will focus on Obi-Wan Kenobi and will star Ewan McGregor.

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  • Disney’s new Genie app will make your theme park wishes come true

    Disney’s new Genie app will make your theme park wishes come true

    You might not realize it, but when it comes to technology Walt Disney is not a Mickey Mouse operation. You might recall that back in 2017, we told you that the entertainment giant was testing OTA wireless charging using a technology called quasistatic cavity resonance. The goal is to allow visitors at its parks to one day walk into an attraction and walk out with their mobile devices fully charged.
    Today, during the D23 superfan convention in Anaheim, Disney announced a new app called Genie that is expected to launch late next year. The company says that it will “enhance the way you plan for and experience a trip to Walt Disney World Resort.” The app will provide custom itineraries based on a user’s interests such as a princess-day theme, or for those foodies who like to experience the culinary delights from the different countries at Epcot. There is even one for thrillseekers; the latter, we assume, includes rides on Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and the positively frightening Wedway People Mover and other hair-raising rides.
    If you know what attractions you want to see at a Disney Park, tell the Genie app and it will go through millions of possible options to come up with a fun-filled schedule for the day. And if you decide to make changes, that is no problem; Genie will “re-optimize” your schedule. As you walk through the park, the app will also send alerts with recommendations and will even handle any dining reservations that you might want to make.
    “This represents yet another way we are using creativity and innovation to connect guests with the stories and characters they love, and to help them make lasting, magical memories with the family and friends they cherish most. Over the past several years, Disney parks have become more seamless and enjoyable through other digital offerings, such as mobile food ordering, the Play Disney Parks app, online check-in and so much more”-Disney
    Despite Disney’s ties to Apple (Steve Jobs and his estate were once the largest Disney shareholder after the purchase of Pixar), we’re sure that the app will be made available to both iOS and Android users.
  • Personalisation trend hits photo booths With Disney

    Personalisation trend hits photo booths With Disney

    Kmart shoppers are now able to personalise a range of stationery, mugs, photos and other products with characters and motifs from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel movies, cartoons and comics.

    The offering is the result of a partnership between Kodak Moments, which operates the photo kiosks in Kmart stores nationwide, and The Walt Disney Company in Australia and New Zealand.

    It is the latest example of brands’ and retailers’ efforts to differentiate their products, and convert customers, by forging an emotional connection wtih shoppers and giving them the option to put their personal stamp on items.

    “This fantastic collaboration not only provides children with a fun photo and learning opportunity… but also allows our cherished characters to be part of Australian stories,” Megan Sanders, vice president and general manager for Star Wars and consumer products commercialisation at The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand, said.

    The customisable range includes 2800 designs for educational charts, party invitations, greeting cards, border prints, posters, magnets, and mugs.

    “Everyone has a favourite photo that instantly delivers warmth, comfort and a special memory,” Gavin Wulfsohn, Kodak Moments sales and marketing manager for Australia and New Zealand, said.

    “Adding these Kodak Moments – alongside a touch a Disney magic – to our educational charts can make all the difference in encouraging children to read and count while developing a lifetime love of learning.”

    Kodak has served as the in-store photo provider for Kmart’s photo centres since 2015, allowing customers to create a range of photo products including prints, posters, books, canvas and mugs.

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