Stream On
How will Disney’s new services stack up against Netflix’s behemoth one? Here’s a closer look.
NETFLIX 1. The content
Netflix is pouring $6 billion this year into English- and local-language programming around the world; next year, it plans to spend $7 billion on licensed shows and original material from the likes of David Letterman and the Coen brothers. And then there’s whatever Shonda Rhimes is cooking up.
2. The technology
With an assist from its sophisticated recommendation engine and new video previews, Netflix’s recently overhauled user interface makes surfing more seamless and enjoyable.
3. The price
Netflix counts more than 100 million subscribers (half of them abroad), who pay roughly $10 a month. Those subscriptions don’t cover costs—yet.
DISNEY
ESPN, which alone is spending $7.3 billion on content this year, will launch its service next year—no word yet on whether NBA and NFL games will be on it. The Disney-branded entertainment app, coming in 2019, will house Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm movies, along with original films and TV series.
Disney is tapping BAMTECH to create its app. The streaming company, which spun out from Major League Baseball and is now majority-owned by Disney, is considered the gold standard for streaming technology. Most analysts agree that Disney should keep the price low, but that will be tough with so much premium content going to the app.