Disney+, Netflix, Max and Prime Video are desperate to make a lot more money so their video streaming businesses can flourish. And once again, subscribers are being hurt.
Disney+’s success is still far from being achieved, as the big-eared company is trying in all directions to find ways to improve profitability. Among the measures taken or currently being implemented is the traditional and unpleasant price increase. Starting October 17, 2024, Americans will pay $9.99 instead of $7.99 (subscription with advertising) per month and $15.99 instead of $13.99 per month (ad-free plan). This is the simplest and fastest measure, although obviously extremely unpopular. Another radical measure is confirmed, and people will not like it.
Disney+ ends fraud to increase revenue
For the fifth year in a row, Disney+ is therefore raising its prices in the US, but nothing has been announced for France and other territories. Rest assured, however, that Mickey’s company will not hesitate to pass on the price increases worldwide. There are still offers with advertising, but at some point everyone could have them. In all likelihood, the SVOD platform could even target “scammers”. “If we detect that you are using an ad blocker and/or have taken steps to prevent the display of such advertising, we may suspend or terminate your subscription […] » Disney+ announced this in its new terms of use.
And there’s another big change coming: the end of Disney+ account sharing. “It will initially be limited to a few countries and markets, but will expand significantly with the full launch in September.”
« We’ve talked a lot about adding the technology capabilities we need to make the company more profitable, higher margin and more successful. We launched our initiative to end account sharing in June and it will continue in September
The end of account sharing will hurt
It is therefore soon the end of Disney+ account sharing in France and other regions of the world. And be careful if you do not respect this new rule. “We may limit access to the Service or terminate your subscription and/or take other actions permitted under the Agreement.” explained Bob Iger when this restriction was introduced in Canada and the United States. Will this really have a negative impact? Perhaps not to the extent that Netflix, which has already stopped sharing accounts, has not lost millions of subscribers. But subscribers’ tempers are still running high on social networks and this seems to be the last straw. Some Internet users no longer really want to pay with the introduction of all these hurdles that penalize the honest user.
Source : Disney Financial Report.
