Disney+ is having its cake and eating it, too. Apptopia shows over 22 million mobile device downloads for the new streaming host, including an uptick in its bundles’ beneficiaries, Hulu and ESPN+.
CNBC reported the news of Apptopia’s information on Wednesday. Based on the success Disney has had with its owned streaming outlets, it makes sense for other competitors to work on bundles of their own.
The Mouse House’s unique IP combo
Not every Streaming Wars competitor has the luxury of owning an already-reputable streamer and a top-tier sports provider. However, this is Disney we’re talking about.
Even before launching Disney+ in November, both those statements were true. According to the Apptopia data, Hulu and ESPN+ downloads have been bosted thanks to Disney+’s influence.
The $12.99 per month deal of Disney+, Hulu and Amazon is about the best thing going in streaming right now. Most other streamers would be wise to fall in line with something similar, based on Apptopia’s statistics.
Well, all except for one…
Amazon’s innate diversity aids staying power
Amazon Prime Video is unique among streamers in that it’s not really a subscription-based video on demand. I mean it is, yet it’s more part of a whole, crazy package Prime members pay an annual fee for.
With so much influence across so many industries, Amazon has changed consumerism forever. It doesn’t rely solely on streaming for its streaming service to thrive.
Well before Netflix took short-term losses for long-term gains, that was the business model Amazon was following. Now, it’s an absolute unstoppable force whose streaming influence won’t abate.
Prime membership with Amazon is in and of itself a bundle deal. It isn’t necessary for the company to do anything like that with Prime Video to remain extremely relevant.
What can other streaming services do for bundles?
Apple certainly has some upside to explore here. Given their cutting-edge technology in both hardware and software, it’s possible to leverage that as part of Apple TV+.
Netflix has long been the streaming leader, yet with all these massive companies flooding the market, it needs to innovate business-wise. The good news right now is Netflix has four legitimate awards season contenders among its original films.
Earning such widespread acclaim will only help Netflix’s credibility and branding. However, it’s going to take some savvy business to navigate the murky waters of the Streaming Wars.
Throwing tons of money at original content and incrementally increasing price point are going to help for so long. What sort of streaming bundles could Netflix cook up to compete with Disney+’s offerings? Hard to say.
Another positive development for Netflix, though? Disney+ caused its traffic to dip when it launched, but the Apptopia report showed Netflix’s traffic went back to normal levels shortly thereafter. That’s a big thanks to The Irishman and Marriage Story, no doubt!
Bottom line: Disney+ hasn’t even hit Europe yet, and it’s already living up to near-impossible hype. Good luck, fellow Streaming Wars combatants.