By Rita Deutschbein | Aug 10, 2023 at 4:15 p.m
Disney + is changing its subscription models and is apparently also planning to ban account sharing. For certain users, these changes mean that they will have to pay more for the streaming service in the future. TECHBOOK reveals exactly what Disney + is planning and when the changes will come.
The times for streaming users are currently anything but good. Not only that, due to Corona and the writers’ strike in Hollywood, many productions are still a long way off and therefore little really good new content is available on the platforms. Almost without exception, providers have increased their prices in recent months. Netflix has even moved to ban user account sharing, a huge win for the company. Disney+ is planning something similar. The streaming service is not only planning a new subscription and thus a price increase for some users, but also a ban on account sharing.
Disney+ from November with three subscription models
So far, Disney+ has only offered one subscription in Germany. This is available for EUR 8.99 per month. From November 1st, the streaming provider will introduce two new subscription models. On the one hand, there is advertising-financed access, which has existed in the USA for a long time. On the other hand, Disney + will distinguish between a standard and a premium subscription from November.
In the future, the cheapest will be the advertising-financed subscription, which can be booked for 5.99 euros per month and thus costs one euro more than the Netflix counterpart. However, the Disney+ advertising subscription does not offer any restrictions on the selection of films and series. Subscribers can stream on two devices at the same time and in Full HD quality. The audio is transmitted here in 5.1 stereo. Users should note that no downloads are possible with the advertising-financed subscription to Disney+ and short advertising segments are displayed before the start of films and series episodes.
Netflix had already started its advertising-financed subscription on November 3, 2022 in Germany. Since then, only people who live in the same household can share an access. Netflix categorically blocks everyone else. With this approach, the streaming provider was already successful shortly after the changeover. Hundreds of thousands of users took out their own subscriptions in the first few days after the account sharing ban. Disney+ is now following suit.
The launch of the subscription with advertising marks the next evolution for Disney+ in Europe, as we can offer more choice to our subscribers and our premium advertising partners alike. With this, Disney+ continues to underline its unique offer in today’s streaming landscape, consisting of TV series and blockbuster films for every target group with a simple and smooth user experience.
Jan Koeppen, President of The Walt Disney Company EMEA
Also new is the standard subscription, which new customers can book from November for EUR 8.99. In contrast to the premium subscription that is also offered for 11.99 euros, the standard subscription only offers full HD and stereo 5.1. Advertising is not included in these two versions and downloads are also possible with both subscription models.
The new premium subscription is the access previously offered by Disney+. When asked, the streaming service confirmed that all existing customers will be automatically transferred to the premium subscription from November. You can continue to stream content in a maximum of 4K, HDR and with Dolby Atmos for the usual price of 8.99 euros. In addition, four instead of only two simultaneous streams are possible here.
Also read: All the new movies and series on Disney+
Price increase for some Disney+ users
For new customers, however, the division into Standard and Premium means a price increase. You have to pay 11.99 euros for the premium subscription in the future. For the old price of 8.99 euros per month, you only get standard access with the restrictions mentioned.
However, it is uncertain whether existing customers will retain their advantage in the long term. As Disney + informed us, the streaming service reserves the right to make future changes. “Existing customers in Germany will continue to use their current monthly and annual subscription at the existing price beyond November 1 – subject to future changes,” the statement said.
Overview of the new subscription models at Disney +
Will Disney+ soon ban account sharing?
In all three new subscription models, Disney + allows at least two parallel streams. The provider also advertises that customers can create multiple profiles per account, set access restrictions for content and create PIN-protected profiles. All of these are points that speak in favor of account sharing. But Disney + apparently wants to introduce stricter rules here like Netflix soon.
As part of the latest quarterly report and the announcement of current figures on August 9, Disney boss Bob Iger addressed the topic. According to him, the company wants to take action against account sharing in the future and is currently giving implementation high priority. According to the American news site CNBC, the first measures against shared use outside of a household will be introduced in the coming year, although the complete implementation could probably go beyond 2024.
Like other streaming providers, Disney + is looking for ways to make its own offering more profitable. The provider has already implemented some methods or – as currently described – planned for the near future. On the one hand, this includes reducing spending on content, but also the aforementioned introduction of cheaper, advertising-financed subscription models and preventing the sharing of accounts.