After its dismal results, the new Disney+ plan would be a merger with Hulu
It’s been a start to the year full of (not so good) news about the Disney+ app. Earlier this year we told you the app was going to have an ad-free plan, and now word is circulating that the streaming app will lose 4 million subscribers in the previous quarter, which is a very bad news.
The recent increase in the price of subscriptions, content censorship scandals and content not accepted by current audiences They pushed the giant to consider new strategies to stop the bleeding a bit. Now, a rumor is circulating that Disney+ and Hulu could be merged into one app.
Disney+ and Hulu could be one
The Web Engadget mentioned that Disney+ and Hulu could merge later this year, as stated by Bob Iger, CEO of Disney. This announcement caused users to start speculating about what might happen with their individual subscription to the two services.
He said the company will continue to offer Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ as standalone options, but the combination of services “is a logical progression ‘from its direct-to-consumer offerings’ which will provide greater opportunities for advertisers, while offering a flat rate, subscribers gain access to more efficient services and simplified content.
The merger could also affect ESPN+ users
This merger would be the ultimate consequence of full acquisition of Comcast by Disney (remember that the mouse company owns 66% of the shares):
Given that Comcast still owns 33% of Hulu, this announcement suggests Disney may be looking to buy the cable TV and media company’s stake. However, Iger did not elaborate on the company’s plans, saying only that Disney had had “constructive” discussions with Comcast about Hulu’s future.
During the interview published ingadget there were also some ads that maybe didn’t make users very happy. Since it looks like there could also be a further increase in subscription costs, although there is no clear date.
Iger also revealed that Disney+ would get another price increase after adding $3 on top of the monthly fee to its ad-free streaming tier in December. He didn’t say when the company will raise prices for the service, but when it does, the ad-free and ad-supported tiers will cost upwards of $11 and $8, respectively.
These commercials come to light a little more the fire that burns Disney at the moment. After the weak box office of Marvel, the scandals due to the problems of inclusion and the fall of Disney+ subscribers. Now it looks like we will have a new plan, which may affect other apps in the band, like combo with Star+ or ESPN+.
