The streaming war is heating up, and in a different way. Disney+ will soon join Netflix in cracking down on password-sharing, with Disney CEO Bob Iger announcing plans to do so from 2024 in an earning call held on 10 August.
“We are actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family,” he said. “Later this year, we will begin to update our subscriber agreements with additional terms and our sharing policies. And we will roll out tactics to drive monetisation sometime in 2024.”
Despite describing the move as a “priority”, Iger admitted that he doesn’t know how much it will generate growth for the service. Netflix, however, shared last month that the move had led to increased revenue and subscriber count, so it isn’t surprising to see the House of Mouse following in its footsteps.
On top of the password-sharing crackdown, the company also revealed its plans for a price increase. Starting 12 October, Disney+ Premium will cost US$13 per month (instead of the current US$10), while Hulu is set to rise from US$14.99 to US$17.99 per month. This comes after Disney+ reported falling profits, having lost billions since its original launch.
Keeping in line with the current landscape, Iger reiterated his commitment to streaming and will continue to leverage on core franchises for Disney+. Star Wars Ahsoka, due to premiere later this month, is the next heavyweight release, with Loki Season 2 following in October.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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Trinity Sun
