HiTechEdge

Tag: Hulu

  • Disney Delivers Mixed News on Its Disney+ Streaming Platform

    Disney Delivers Mixed News on Its Disney+ Streaming Platform

    Disney turned in its quarterly results, including a mixed bag of news regarding its Disney+ and other streaming services.

    Disney+ gained some 12 million subscribers from the previous quarter, bringing the platform’s total to 164.2 million. The company’s total streaming subscribers, including Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu has now topped 235 million subscribers. This is an increase over the previous quarter’s 221 million.

    “2022 was a strong year for Disney, with some of our best storytelling yet, record results at our Parks, Experiences and Products segment, and outstanding subscriber growth at our direct-to-consumer services, which added nearly 57 million subscriptions this year for a total of more than 235 million,” said Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “Our fourth quarter saw strong subscription growth with the addition of 14.6 million total subscriptions, including 12.1 million Disney+ subscribers.”

    Unfortunately, it wasn’t all good news for the streaming services, with increased costs leading to a larger loss than the previous quarter.

    Direct-to-Consumer revenues for the quarter increased 8% to $4.9 billion and operating loss increased $0.8 billion to $1.5 billion. The increase in operating loss was due to a higher loss at Disney+ and a decrease in results at Hulu, partially offset by improved results at ESPN+.

  • Better Late Than Never — Hulu Starts Embracing HDR

    Better Late Than Never — Hulu Starts Embracing HDR

    Hulu is finally beginning to roll out HDR, years after other platforms have done so.

    Hulu is one of the top streaming platforms on the market, and its live TV service is widely considered the main competitor to YouTube TV. Despite its position in the market, the company has been slow to adopt improved technology, including HDR.

    According to TechCrunch, however, the company is finally embracing HDR, with the rollout beginning August 19. For now, only the company’s high-profile original content will get the upgrade, although Hulu intends on eventually bringing it to its entire catalog.

    The company’s plans are good news for Hulu subscribers, even if the implementation will take more time.

  • Verizon Offering Free Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass

    Verizon Offering Free Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass

    Verizon is offering subscribers free Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass in its ongoing efforts to be the center of customers’ digital life.

    Carriers are increasingly expanding beyond basics wireless service, offering promotions, complimentary services and partnerships. The goal is to help reduce churn — the rate at which customers switch carriers — by becoming entrenched in customers’ lives.

    For example, T-Mobile offers T-Mobile Money banking service and T-Mobile Home Internet, as well as free Netflix. Meanwhile, some Verizon plans include free Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, as well as free Apple Music and Discovery+. 

    Verizon is expanding its bundled services to include a free Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass plan.

    Starting May 25, new and existing customers get six months of Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, ($4.99/mo. value) on us with any unlimited plan or 12 months on us with “Play More” or “Get More” plans.

  • AT&T and Discovery Create Joint TV Streaming Company

    AT&T and Discovery Create Joint TV Streaming Company

    AT&T and Discovery are joining forces and creating a new company that will combine their media assets to better compete.

    The streaming market has become a fiercely competitive one, with YouTube TV, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling, Netflix, Amazon, Disney and Apple spending big bucks to gain subscribers and release original content. For smaller players, like Discovery+ and AT&T’s HBO Max, it can be difficult to compete.

    According to The Associated Press, the two companies believe their best option is to combine their media offerings, creating a single company that will open the door to better bundling options. Given the two companies control CNN, Food Network, HGTV, HBO, TBS and TNT, it’s a safe bet subscribers would pay to have a bundle including those channels.

    The new company may even be able to offer complimentary plans that fill in holes in other streaming packages offered by other companies. For example, fuboTV doesn’t carry CNN, TBS or TNT, making an affordable add-on package an attractive option for fuboTV users.

    If the deal is approved, AT&T shareholders would own 71% of the company, as opposed to Discovery’s 29%. It’s believed the combined company would save some $3 billion annually, freeing up more money for original content.

    Provided Discovery shareholders sign off on the deal, it is expected to close the middle of next year.

  • Apple TV+ Hits 40 Million Subscribers

    Apple TV+ Hits 40 Million Subscribers

    Apple TV+ has crossed a major milestone, according to estimates, topping 40 million subscribers.

    Apple TV+ is the company’s take on streaming TV, with a focus on original content. Ted Lasso, The Morning Show and Mythic Quest are some of the biggest TV shows on the platform. Meanwhile, Tom Hanks’ Greyhound was a critically-acclaimed movie that debuted on Apple TV+.

    Despite being a relative newcomer to the streaming market, Apple’s entry is already making some impressive strides, according to Newsweek. Apple TV+ was estimated to have 33.6 million subscribers at the end of 2019 and 40 million by the end of 2020.

    With 40 million subscribers, Apple TV+ comes in ahead of Paramount+ (under 36 million), Peacock (33 million) and Hulu (39.4 million). Apple’s platform is still behind HBO Max and far behind Disney+, Amazon Prime and Netflix.

    In addition, Apple TV+ has obviously benefited from Apple bundling it for free with new purchases of iPhones, iPads and Macs. It remains to be seen if the service maintains its popularity once people have to pay for it.