According to reports, always-on channels devoted to Marvel and Star Wars shows may soon be available on the redesigned Disney Plus app. The channels may remove the option of choosing what to watch next. They are supposedly comparable to those on free, ad-supported streaming services like Pluto or Tubi.
Disney may have an ‘old-style TV’ plan to keep viewers on the platform
Disney may include Pixar or Disney animated films on its channel schedule in addition to Marvel and Star Wars television shows, according to The Information. Like with traditional television, the channels will probably still have advertisements on them even though viewers would require a Disney Plus subscription to access them.
Disney declined to comment, and there is currently no information available regarding when the new channels will debut. The predicted shift, which now has a tile for Hulu, fits with Disney's plans to keep users engaged with its Disney Plus app.
It also represents the increasing acceptance of free streaming television with advertisements (FAST). According to a Bloomberg study, Tubi, owned by Fox, is being watched by viewers for longer than Peacock, Max, and Paramount Plus combined. The fact that you can simply tune in to any show without worrying about keeping track of every word, unlike while viewing something like Fallout, is one of the attractions of FAST services.
Moreover, Amazon offers always-on channels in Prime Video via Freevee, its FAST service. However, using the service's specialized app, anyone may watch Freevee without a subscription—as long as it remains available, unlike what Disney is reportedly planning. As Disney also intends to release a streaming-only version of ESPN along with a live sports streaming bundle with Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox, the calcification of streaming will probably spread in the future.
ALSO READ: Humane AI Pin receives mixed reviews: Critics call it ambitious misstep; DEETS inside