Disney+ will stream to Apple TV, iPhone, iPad at launch - but not to Amazon Fire

AppleInsider

Disney's upcoming streaming service Disney+ will be available to use on a wide variety of streaming platforms including the Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad at launch when it goes live on November 12.

Revealed on Monday, the list of devices that will be able to access Disney+ features a wide array of popular hardware, with Apple's entire ecosystem represented on the list. The Apple TV, iPad, and iPhone will have apps for streaming, with support for browsers also meaning Macs will be able to view content on the service as well.

The full list of devices also includes Android smartphones and tablets, Android TV, the Google Chromecast, Roku streaming players and Roku TV, the Xbox One, and the PlayStation 4. One noteworthy exception to the list is Amazon's entire ecosystem, with neither the Fire TV streaming hardware nor the Fire tablet directly lineup included in the initial list -- but in theory the apps can be sideloaded.

While users will be able to subscribe on iOS and tvOS devices directly, it is unclear if the service will be directly compatible with the new Apple TV experience, though there are plans to integrate content with the Apple TV app so shows and movies from the service will be included in suggestions.

Arriving November 12, the service will cost $6.99 per month in the United States, with rollouts in Canada and the Netherlands at the same time for $8.99 Canadian dollars and 6.99 euro per month respectively, with Australia and New Zealand joining the roster the following week, and most major markets within two years of launch. Annual subscriptions will also be offered at a discount, with the US subscription costing $69.99 per year.

An extra bundle will also be offered, combining Disney+ with ESPN+ and an advertising-supported Hulu subscription, at $12.99 per month.

Disney+ will provide access to the company's vast back catalog of content, including classic films from the "Disney Vault," as well as original content based on popular franchises such as Star Wars and the Marvel Universe. Content from acquisitions, such as 21st Century Fox, could also make an appearance on the service.

MacPro

Is this because they are still working out terms or is there some other reason do you think?

Metriacanthosaurus

$6.99 is a good price for this service, but somehow I doubt it will stay that way for long. Subscribers will be bait and switched before long. 

mac_dog

Metriacanthosaurus said:

$6.99 is a good price for this service, but somehow I doubt it will stay that way for long. Subscribers will be bait and switched before long. 

That may be true, but a good price nonetheless. Plenty to watch before the cost goes up. 

mjtomlin

While users will be able to subscribe on iOS and tvOS devices directly, it is unclear if the service will be directly compatible with the new Apple TV experience, though there are plans to integrate content with the Apple TV app so shows and movies from the service will be included in suggestions.

We can assume it will be, since Both Hulu and ESPN+ are already integrated in the Apple TV app. 

With a $6.99 subscription for what is arguably one of the largest catalogs of popular modern content, it’ll be interesting to see where and how Apple positions TV+ ?

trashman69

It will be interesting to see how Apple prices
Apple+.  With a hand full of movies and around 25 original series - it will be impossible to compete with Disney+ huge library.

personally - I believe they will include a year sub free with a new iPhone purchase.   

Anyway - I’m really looking forward to Oprah’s documentary on metoo movement 😂😂😂

macinscott

Disney expects to take massive loses for the first several years establishing a foothold in the streaming marketplace. In fact, Disney already forecast this on their second-quarter earnings call when they told investors that its direct-to-consumer businesses would lose $460 million in the third quarter. Disney has a stated goal of reaching profitability on 2024 with 40-60 million subscribers.  

For this reason, I don't believe Disney will increase prices for several years. They are playing the long game with the launch of Disney+, and the bundle package which includes Hulu and ESPN+. Disney wants to be the predominant streaming service and clearly has Netflix in its sights.

What that means for Apple and anyone else entering the space is they also have to be willing to lose massive amounts of money to gain traction, and be one of the top 3 streaming services. Because even with cord-cutting, consumers will limit the number of services they subscribe to. Either that, or they'll rotate subscriptions and binge watch and repeat.

mjtomlin

trashman69 said:

It will be interesting to see how Apple prices
Apple+.  With a hand full of movies and around 25 original series - it will be impossible to compete with Disney+ huge library.

personally - I believe they will include a year sub free with a new iPhone purchase.  

If it's just original Apple content, then I can't imagine they'd charge too much for it. And may even use it as an incentive for AppleTV purchases (6 months free TV+) or tie-ins with Apple Music subscriptions.

But they could offer 3rd party content as well. Especially back-catalog stuff that already exists on iTunes.

macinscott

Currently, Netflix stands to lose the most from Disney taking the loss leader approach for the launch of Disney+. And this comes on the heels of Netflix losing popular series such as Friends and The Office, as well as any further licensing of Disney, Marvel and Star Wars content.

Content holds all the value which is why Apple, Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others are pouring BILLIONS into original content. Everyone is banking on coming up with the next must-see series like Game of Thrones or Stranger Things to acquire subscribers.

After the dust settles in a few years, we'll likely see several streaming services shuttered and merges/acquisitions of others for content. 

In the end, I hope we end up getting something similar for tv that iTunes/Apple Music was for music - one store where you can get everything for a standard price (X dollars/episode or season) or a streaming option that pays the content providers a percentage of the monthly fee based on what you actually watch.

1st

you mean Jeff is too mature for Disney?  oche.  

DAalseth

Metriacanthosaurus said:

$6.99 is a good price for this service, but somehow I doubt it will stay that way for long. Subscribers will be bait and switched before long. 

Perhaps, but the nice thing about streaming as opposed to cable, is that you can change streams in five minutes. Literally one afternoon I turned off Netflix and turned on CBS All Access. BOOM, done. The customer holds the cards on this one. If Disney decides it has a captive audience and one day bumps the price from $6.99 to $69.90 (to pick an absurd number) they will find many of not most of their audience will be gone that afternoon.

Folio

Really is a golden age for TV. Enjoy while it lasts. (I'm watching Succession and still working my way through backlist Sopranos and GOT.) Once shakedown occurs if history is example, we may see charges for backlists, and higher prices including for the option of fewer ads. But given that ATT Amazon and Apple have giant cash flows unrelated to media, it's a crap shoot how long TVutopia lasts.

darren mccoy

Any word on the UK?

AppleExposed

mjtomlin said:

While users will be able to subscribe on iOS and tvOS devices directly, it is unclear if the service will be directly compatible with the new Apple TV experience, though there are plans to integrate content with the Apple TV app so shows and movies from the service will be included in suggestions.

We can assume it will be, since Both Hulu and ESPN+ are already integrated in the Apple TV app. 

With a $6.99 subscription for what is arguably one of the largest catalogs of popular modern content, it’ll be interesting to see where and how Apple positions TV+ ?

We already know where Apple is positioning TV+. They are producing all original and exclusive content so they aren't a 1:1 competitor to anyone else. They'll innovate like crazy in the coming years.

lolliver

AppleInsider said:

with Australia and New Zealand joining the roster the following week, and most major markets within two years of launch. 

I hadn't seen any news about this launching in Australia or New Zealand that soon. I had previously heard that it wouldn't be until at least 2020 if not later before it made it to Australia. If this is accurate then Netflix might not be getting my money for much longer. The quality of their shows has been very inconsistent. At the very least I will be reducing down to the single screen plan for Netflix as my children barely use it anymore. 

Edit: Just found several other stories published today advising Disney+ will be launching in Australia on the 19th of November for $8.99 (AU).   

AnotherBrick

DAalseth said:

Metriacanthosaurus said:

$6.99 is a good price for this service, but somehow I doubt it will stay that way for long. Subscribers will be bait and switched before long. 

Perhaps, but the nice thing about streaming as opposed to cable, is that you can change streams in five minutes. Literally one afternoon I turned off Netflix and turned on CBS All Access. BOOM, done. The customer holds the cards on this one. If Disney decides it has a captive audience and one day bumps the price from $6.99 to $69.90 (to pick an absurd number) they will find many of not most of their audience will be gone that afternoon.

I can see Disney, Netflix, whatever HBO ends up on all going to first a lower price if you sign up for a year and then dropping the month to month option completely.  Unless Apple has or develops hits I don’t think that they can do the same. They have to have content that people are willing to pay for and right now no one knows if they do or not. 

gatorguy

MacPro said:

Is this because they are still working out terms or is there some other reason do you think?

Kinda... It's all about who gets to sell ads on the the streaming ad-supported Disney content like ESPN and ABC. Amazon is playing hardball and Disney so far just as firmly pushing back.