Disney debuts streaming service

Disney has thrown the gauntlet to Netflix and the likes with its own streaming service, Disney+.

Mae Anderson had the news for the AP:

Disney is throwing its hat into streaming Tuesday with the debut of its Disney+ service.

It is hoping the $7-a-month service, years in the making, will attract millions of subscribers with its mix of Marvel and Star Wars movies and shows, classic animated films and new series.

There’s a lot riding on the gamble, as traditional media companies seek to siphon the subscription revenue now going to Netflix and other streaming giants.

With an advertising blitz, low entry price and coveted library of older movies and shows, Disney should “blow the doors off initially,” said Pivotal Research Group analyst Jeffrey Wlodarczak.

But the challenge will be keeping those subscribers in the long run.

Gizmodo’s Alex Cranz reported:

The time I spent with Disney+ was brief (only a few hours), but I’ll admit the app and streaming quality were surprisingly good—especially given that streaming services tend to choke in demo situations like the one I was in. But this was one of Disney’s first times showing off the new product to press, so it would have been deeply embarrassing if it had choked on the building’s wifi. Assume your own experience with Disney+ to vary depending on your internet speed and the quality of the device you’re using.

Disney+ will retail for $7 a month or $70 for a year (that’s $5.83 a month). If you’re a Verizon FIOS customer or have an Unlimited plan with Verizon Wireless, you can also get Disney+ for free for a year—though Disney will start charging you as soon as the year is up unless you cancel.

Disney says the Verizon deal should make Disney+ free for about 17 million to 19 million Verizon customers.

Richard Lawler from Engadget noted:

As we’d heard earlier, Disney’s apps are launching with many of the features we’ve seen its competitors slowly add over the years. Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio are here, along with support for downloading on up to ten mobile devices, up to four concurrent streams on each account, plus individual profiles so everyone can have their own queue.

What can you watch? Here’s a partial list from Disney covering some of the “nearly 500 films and 7,500 episodes” available for viewing right now:

• Timeless animated films from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Walt Disney Signature Collection, created or inspired by the imagination and legacy of Walt Disney – including “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pinocchio,” “Bambi,” “The Lion King,” “Lady and The Tramp,” “Peter Pan,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Cinderella” and more.
• Three of the four highest-grossing films of all time: “Avengers: Endgame,” Avatar,” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
• Thirty seasons of the 11-time Emmy Award-winning series “The Simpsons.”
• Hit films from Marvel Studios, including “Avengers: Endgame,” as well as “Captain America: Civil War,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Avengers,” “Iron Man 3,” “Doctor Strange,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Captain Marvel,” “Iron Man,” “Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” and “Ant-Man.”