Bob Chapek has finally had great news to give to investors after so much controversy accumulated over the past few months. The current CEO of The Walt Disney Company has revealed that Disney + has reached the figure of 152 million subscribers, exceeding expectations for the quarter with an increase of 14.4 million subscribers (10 million expected). Plus, if you add on ESPN + ‘s 22.8 million subscribers and Hulu’s 46.2 million users, that would add up to 221.1 million customers across all of their streaming services. For the first time, they have more subscribers than Netflix, which reported 220.67 million users the last time it provided figures..
Taking advantage of this new record, the company unveiled its plans closest to Disney +, marked by the launch of the new cheaper subscription with ads. Disney has revealed that it will launch this new option on December 8 in the US and that it will cost $ 7.99 per month, with no annual subscription option. They call it Disney + Basic. That price is what the standard Disney + ad-free membership in North America has right now, and is that on December 8 they will rename the current subscription as Disney + Premium and raise the price to $ 10.99 per month, 38% more. The annual subscription will range from $ 79.99 to $ 109.99. There are currently no confirmed dates or prices for Spain.
The company explains that the catalogs of both versions will be the same and hopes that most customers will opt for the ad-supported version, as is the case with Hulu. In Disney + Basic we will have about four minutes of commercials for every hour of viewing and there will be some titles that will not show commercials, starting with the profiles created for children and preschoolers, which for now will be ad-free. At first, they will be 15 to 30 second commercials, but they view this new option as something that will evolve over time. Among the advertisements that the company has vetoed are political commercials or advertisements for alcoholic beverages.
Packages also increase in price
Disney + isn’t the only business platform that raises prices. On August 23, the ESPN + subscription will increase from $ 6.99 to $ 9.99 per month, with an option of $ 99.99 per year. Starting October 10, it will also increase the Hulu subscription with ads from $ 6.99 to $ 7.99, with an option at $ 79.99 per year and the ad-free version from $ 12.99 to $ 14. , 99 per month. Those who want the full option will pay even more: the bundle of Disney + ad-free, Hulu with ads and ESPN + will cost $ 14.99 and the premium option, consisting of Hulu without ad, Disney + without ad and ESPN + will remain at $ 19. $. 99 per month. Those who want the Live TV option can choose between $ 69.99 per month for a package that also includes Hulu and Disney + with ads and ESPN +, or $ 82.99 per month for an all ad-free package.
Despite this price hike, The Walt Disney Company comes out this quarter with a stronger spirit and increase their goal of Disney + subscribers to between 135 and 165 million in 2024.
Source: E Cartelera
