More work is needed to bring all of Hulu’s capabilities to Disney+, further drive app engagement through a preferred user experience, heighten Disney’s ability to track what users are streaming for advertising, crackdown on password sharing, improve recommendations, and simplify Disney’s streaming technology infrastructure for cost savings, reliability, and upgrades.
Today, Disney got closer to its ultimate goal and announced that some Hulu profiles can now link to Disney+, which will bring “their Hulu watch history, watchlist, and recommendations into Disney+.”
“Linking your 18+ profile will be available to eligible Disney+, Hulu bundle and Disney+, Hulu, ESPN bundle subscribers in the coming days and roll out to all bundle subscribers later this year,” Disney’s announcement added. Profiles accessing Disney+ through a bundle combining Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max are not currently eligible, Variety noted.
“Upon logging in [to the Disney+ app], Hulu-only subscribers will continue to enjoy a small sampling of Disney+ and ESPN content to get a taste of what is offered to bundle subscribers,” Disney said today.
Disney is also working to incorporate more features from Hulu into Disney+. It said today that it will start testing a new TV guide in Disney+ for live content, including 24/7 channels that play ABC News Live and The Simpsons. Additionally, Disney+ started supporting HDR10+, initially through over 1,000 Hulu titles, in October.
An example of the Live Guide Disney is planning to add to Disney+.
Credit: The Walt Disney Company
An example of the Live Guide Disney is planning to add to Disney+. Credit: The Walt Disney Company
Disney is unlikely to stop supporting standalone Hulu subscriptions or the app until it finishes unifying all of the technology powering Disney+ and Hulu and can deliver all the features and packages that Hulu offers through Disney+. It remains feasible that Disney will consider killing standalone Hulu subscriptions or, especially, the app at that time.
However, continuing to allow people to sign up for Hulu without Disney+ is beneficial. Currently, a Disney+ subscription starts at $12 per month, a Hulu subscription starts at $12/month, and a Disney+ and Hulu bundle starts at $13/month. That pricing makes the bundle feel like an excellent deal that would also look superior to paying $13/month for a version of Disney+ that incorporates Hulu’s entire library. Further, streaming customers are said to be less likely to cancel a streaming subscription if it is bundled with another subscription.
So it seems that at least while Disney continues the complex work of unifying the two streaming services, the option to be a Hulu-only subscriber will remain.
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