The Disney+ Ad-Supported Tier Might Lose Some Key Features

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 09/28/2019, Disney+ startscreen on tv. Disney+ online video, content streaming subscription service. Disney plus, Star wars, Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic.

Disney+ is expected to join the growing list of streaming platforms offering an ad-supported plan but, as users gain ads, they might lose features.

MacRumors‘ Steve Moser dug into the Disney+ code and found that GroupWatch and SharePlay, features that let users remotely watch a movie or show with friends and family, won’t be available on the ad-supported tier.

The new ad-supported plan is expected to cost $7.99 in the US and is rumoured to be launching in December.

The upcoming plan represents a significant opportunity for advertisers. With Disney+, advertisers will be able to reach valuable audiences with young children, as well as Disney’s lucrative adult audience – the kind of people who will happily spend a bunch of money on a Mickey Mouse headband.

However, there might be a very straightforward reason for GroupWatch and SharePlay being unavailable on Disney+. If users are watching shows in different countries, the number of ads able to be served will be changeable, as will potential advertising regulations.

For example, if a viewer is in a country that permits four ads per hour but the other viewer’s country only permits two per hour, should the second viewer sit in front of a black screen while the first viewer’s ad finishes?

Netflix, meanwhile, has been more ruthless with its ad-supported tier. The streaming giant is limiting the screen resolution of shows on its new ad-supported tier to just 720p HD. What’s more, users will not be able to download content to view offline and users will only have access to a restricted catalogue of content.

Of course, it may simply be a classic bait-and-switch upsell from Disney+. Either way, Disney did not respond to request for comment from The Verge.




Please login with linkedin to comment

Disney

Latest News

SBS Audio Campaign Tells The Stories Of New Australians, With Multilingual Content Offerings To Assist Migrants
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns

SBS Audio Campaign Tells The Stories Of New Australians, With Multilingual Content Offerings To Assist Migrants

SBS Audio has launched a new marketing campaign for its ‘Australia Explained’ service which supports new migrants to successfully navigate life in Australia and achieve a greater sense of belonging and social cohesion. SBS’s flagship service for new migrants, Australia explained, has launched a multi-platform marketing campaign that reaches into the heart of the migrant […]

Tracker App Launches, Promising Consumers A Read On Brand’s & Products Sustainability Chops
  • Advertising

Tracker App Launches, Promising Consumers A Read On Brand’s & Products Sustainability Chops

Shoppers can now get access to sustainability information at their fingertips through Tracker, a first-of-its-kind mobile app. The Tracker app centralises sustainability data into a single, easy-to-understand format, helping shoppers make informed choices about the brands and products they support. Shoppers can simply scan the barcode of their favourite supermarket, chemist or department store item […]