Disney already has a fair few streaming services under its belt: Disney Plus and ESPN Plus both belong to it, and it has a two-thirds share in Hulu too. Later in the year, though, it's going to be releasing yet another streaming app you can download.
In a Disney earnings call (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter), the company CEO Bob Iger confirmed that the company is working on a new app that combines Disney Plus and Hulu content into one standalone streaming app.
This as-yet-unnamed app will be coming out toward the end of the year, and it'll only be available in the US, since Hulu is a US-only streaming service.
In addition, the app will only be available to people who already subscribe to both streaming services, which means it'll be of greatest interest to those who bought the Disney Bundle — this package deal combines both services, and optionally ESPN Plus too, for a relatively low price.
If you're not a joint Hulu and Disney Plus subscriber, this move won't affect you at all, because Iger confirmed that Disney is looking to keep the two services themselves separate. Initially, both Disney Plus and Hulu will retain their standalone apps too, though that could change further down the line.
However something else could affect you: Iger also mentioned that the ad-free plan to Disney Plus, which currently costs $10.99 monthly, will see a price increase at some point soon.
There's no word on whether ESPN Plus content will be added to the app, but we'll have to wait until its release toward the end of the year for more information.
The real benefit to the new Disney Bundle app is for people who subscribe to both services — now, you won't have to close and open different apps to find something new to watch, as all the content will be bundled on the same platform.
There's a secondary bonus for Disney too, which Iger was none too coy about. There are apparently a lot of advertising benefits to having a combined platform. Both Hulu and Disney Plus have ad-supported plans that cost less but require you to watch ads before and during your shows.
If you're happy with your current Disney Plus or Hulu set-up, you'll be pleased to hear that the upcoming app won't really affect you in any way, shape or form. However if you're a Disney Bundle fan, this new move could help you in finding that new movie to watch or show to binge, with Disney-owned content centered in one convenient place.
