Disney

Disney is planning to raise the price of its ad-free Disney+ and Hulu streaming services starting on October 12, the company said today during an earnings call (via CNBC). The ad-free Disney+ plan will be priced at $13.99 per month, while the ad-free Hulu plan will be priced at $17.99 per month. Right now, ad-free Disney+ is $10.99 per month, while ad-free Hulu is priced at $14.99 per month. ...

Apple is one of several tech companies on Disney's radar as the media giant looks for a strategic partner to help expand distribution of ESPN, according to the New York Post. However, the report does not indicate if Disney has actually held discussions with Apple, and there are a few reasons why a sports partnership between the companies is unlikely. First, the report says that the idea of...

Disney plans to combine the Hulu and Disney+ streaming services into a single app by the end of this year, Disney CEO Bob Iger said yesterday during Disney's Q2 earnings call (via TechCrunch). A single streaming app will include programming from both Hulu and Disney+, but Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ will also still be available as standalone services. The combined app will be provided first to...

Disney today announced that it is increasing the cost of its ad-free Disney+ subscription by 38 percent, raising the price from $7.99 per month to $10.99 per month. This is the most significant price increase Disney has introduced since the 2019 launch of the service. The price of the ad-free plan is increasing to $10.99 per month because Disney is also launching a new ad-supported tier that ...

Apple today announced that "Disney Melee Mania," a new game featuring iconic Disney and Pixar characters, will soon be coming exclusively to Apple Arcade. Developed by Mighty Bear Games, Disney Melee Mania brings a large number of Disney and Pixar characters together to battle in a virtual arena. Characters from "Wreck-It Ralph," "Frozen," "The Incredibles," "Toy Story," and more battle...

Disney+ now has more than 118 million global paid subscribers, Disney announced today in its earnings report for the fourth quarter of 2021 [PDF]. The streaming service has gained 2.1 million subscribers in the last quarter, and 44.4 million subscribers over the course of the last 12 months. In November 2020, Disney+ had 73.7 million subscribers, so its growth over the last year has been...

Amazon today held a media event that saw the introduction of a slew of new products, ranging from an in-home Alexa robot to a new fitness service that mimics Apple Fitness+. We've rounded up all of Amazon's most interesting announcements below. Astro Household Robot Astro is an Alexa-integrated home robot that can monitor the home, help users keep in touch with family, and more. Astro can...

Disney today told subscribers that it is raising the price for its ESPN+ standalone streaming service. Starting on August 13, the monthly price will increase from $5.99 to $6.99, and the yearly price will increase from $59.99 per year to $69.99 per year. Prices for UFC pay-per-view matches will remain unchanged, and the bundle that includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ will not be increasing....

Disney+ now has more than 103 million global paid subscribers, Disney said today in its Q2 earnings report [PDF]. The streaming service has gained more than three million subscribers since March, which was the last time subscriber details were shared. In April 2020, Disney+ had just 33 million subscribers, so the service's growth has been astronomical, exceeding all expectations in the year...

Disney today announced the launch of MagicBand support for iPhone and Apple Watch in a service called "Disney MagicMobile," which uses the Wallet app. Disney's MagicBand is a colorful wristband that guests can wear at Walt Disney World to enter the theme parks, unlock their hotel room, and buy food and merchandise. Disney announced the new MagicMobile service earlier this month, which...

Starting on Friday, March 26, Disney plans to raise the price of its subscription streaming service, Disney+. Currently priced at $6.99 per month in the U.S., the cost will be going up by $1 to $7.99 per month. Those who want to lock in the $6.99 per month price point should sign up for a subscription before March 26. The yearly subscription price is also going up, increasing from $69.99 to...

Disney today announced MagicBand support for iPhone and Apple Watch in a service called "Disney MagicMobile," which uses the Wallet app. Disney's MagicBand is a colorful wristband that guests can wear at Walt Disney World to enter the theme parks, unlock their hotel room, and buy food and merchandise. MagicMobile brings a contactless way to access many MagicBand features using only an ‌iPho...

Disney+ has surpassed 100 million global paid subscribers, Disney announced today during a shareholders meeting. The streaming service has gained five million subscribers since Mid-February, which was the last time subscriber info was shared. "The enormous success of Disney+ --which has now surpassed 100 million subscribers--has inspired us to be even more ambitious, and to significantly...

Disney+ is set to expand its streaming service offering next week with a rollout of its more adult-aimed Star brand to existing subscribers in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. According to CNET, the Star brand will include content from Disney Television Studios, FX, 20th Century Studios, and 20th Television that's more adult-friendly, as opposed to the all-ages content that's...

It's been exactly one year since the Disney+ streaming service first launched, and over the course of the last 12 months, Disney+ has gained 73.7 million subscribers, surpassing expectations. Disney announced the impressive subscriber numbers during its fourth quarter earnings results, which went out this afternoon."Even with the disruption caused by COVID-19, we've been able to effectively...

Apple today began sending out emails to iTunes and Apple TV customers who have purchased a Disney movie in the past, letting them know that their titles have been upgraded to 4K HDR at no cost. Several MacRumors readers have received the emails, which come a week after Disney titles in the iTunes Store began showing up as 4K in the United States and Canada. Many Disney titles are now...

Disney today announced that Apple Music subscribers can now access a unique collection of over 30 playlists, classic soundtracks, radio stations, and more related to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars movies and franchises. Playlists are available for Disney favorites like Frozen, Disney classics like Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh, Disney Channel and Disney Junior shows, Marvel and Star ...

A wide selection of Disney movies are showing as available in 4K on the iTunes Store as of today in the United States and Canada, including many Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars titles. However, not all movies are listed as 4K at this time. iTunes Store content became available in 4K in 2017 in time for the launch of the Apple TV 4K box, but Disney movies were a notable exclusion. This isn't...

Disney's streaming television and movie service Disney+ boasts 57.5 million paid subscribers worldwide as of June 27, up three million from the 54.5 million subscribers it had in May 2020. By early 2020, Disney+ had already hit 50 million subscribers, marking impressive growth since it launched in November. When Disney+ launched, Disney estimated that it would see 60 to 90 million...

Disney+ now has 54.5 million subscribers worldwide, a new total announced today during the company's quarterly earnings call. That means Disney has gained 4.5 million Disney+ subscribers since April 8, when it said that Disney+ had 50 million subscribers. Disney+ launched in November and has grown to almost $55 million subscribers over the course of the last six months. Disney's...