Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime have allowed people to begin to stray away from purchasing cable TV plans from DirecTV, Comcast/Xfinity and many others, causing cable companies to have to fight for subscribers. Netflix has had rights to Disney movies on its service for quite some time, but now Disney has decided to join the streaming services club.
Disney is creating its own streaming service, Disney+, set to debut on Nov. 12, 2019. The service will offer all films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all Pixar releases and all Disney classics, stripping them from Netflix. Disney+ will cost $6.99 per month for 7,500 episodes of current and off-air TV shows, 400 archived Disney and Fox movies, 100 recent theatrical releases and 25 original series and 10 original movies.
However, is it all worth it? My top picks on Netflix are Shameless and the Office, and their originals are pretty good too. So, I think it’s safe to say that I am clearly not going to be ultimately torn up about no more Disney movies.
Disney fanatics may have a different outlook on this, though. I can definitely see where the value in Disney+ is, and the certain demographic they would be able to reach, but since I would not consider myself a part of that demographic, it just doesn’t really apply to me.
“Netflix feels like basic cable for the streaming world, with services such as Disney+ becoming add-ons like HBO has been historically,” said Rich Greenfield, BTIG analyst. Disney+ will be competing with all of the major streaming services, but many say its biggest competitor will be Apple.
Apple is set to launch its own streaming service, Apple TV Plus. The announced shows that will appear on Apple TV Plus all seem to be Apple originals, as of now, with actors and actresses like Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell making appearances.
With so many streaming services out there, it can be hard to keep up. If you don’t know what shows are offered on each service, I really don’t think you’re missing out on much. I have no desire to switch to Apple TV Plus because none of the shows that have been announced thus far really appeal to me. It’s all about whichever services fit your needs, and those are the services you should get.
