The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has begun the beta launch of its integrated Hulu and Disney+ streaming experience, marking a significant move in the streaming industry.
What Happened: 9to5Mac reported on Dec. 6, 2023, that the latest feature allows subscribers of the Hulu and Disney+ bundle to access Hulu content directly from the Disney+ application. The Hulu content is presented as a separate tile alongside other content sources such as Pixar, Marvel, and Disney+ itself.
Users are led to the Hulu Hub upon clicking the Hulu tile, where they have the option to select from a wide array of movies and series from Hulu's comprehensive library. This includes award-winning Originals, next-day TV, and a vast library, all within the Disney+ app, thus eliminating the need to switch between different applications.
Despite this, Disney reiterated that the Disney+ and Hulu applications would remain as separate entities. Some content is currently unavailable on the Hulu hub in the Disney+ app due to "licensing-rights restrictions" as per Variety. Popular titles like "Modern Family" and "Love Island" are included in these.
Disney has stated that the current offering is a beta version, with a comprehensive Hulu on Disney+ experience planned for a spring release.
Why It Matters: This development comes on the heels of Disney's aggressive Black Friday deal launched on Nov. 22, 2023, offering the Disney+ Hulu bundle at a discounted rate of $2.99 per month for a year. The deal followed a price increase by the streaming service in October and a tightening of its account-sharing rules.