The “Streaming Wars” Begin
Streaming is about to get a lot more competitive with Disney+ and Apple TV+ set to hit the market as early as November.
But with the increasing number of streaming services, who will emerge victorious? Most consumers will likely subscribe to a combination of a few services, subscribing and unsubscribing depending on which one has the show or movie they currently want to watch. Here’s a breakdown of the major newcomers:
Apple TV+, which was released on Nov. 1, has a set of original shows lined up, including The Morning Show, which has a cast of many A-list stars such as TV legends Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell. Apple TV+ is only $4.99 a month, which is significantly less than Netflix, priced at $12.99 a month, and Hulu’s plan with ads at $5.99 a month. A disadvantage to Apple TV+ is that it does have a much smaller selection than other services, such as Netflix and Disney.
Disney+, set to be released on November 12, has a huge array of already existing and original Disney films and series (including content from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic). It is priced at $6.99 per month, which is a great deal, considering the huge amount of desirable content that there is included. For $12.99 per month, people can get a subscription bundle to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. A disadvantage of choosing Disney+ is that it doesn’t offer non-Disney content, which may be important for users.
HBO Max is set to be released on April 2020. Since HBO is part of WarnerMedia, content from other WarnerMedia subsidiaries such as Warner Bros, CNN, TBS, and New Line Cinemas will be available, in addition to all HBO content. They’ve also acquired the show Friends, which is leaving Netflix in 2020. The service is reported to cost as much as $17 per month, which is significantly higher than its competitors.