Streaming services are starting to create bundles to encourage more people to subscribe. Disney+ is one of those services, as the company is finally acquiring Hulu soon. With the upcoming change, Disney's streaming app already has a tab dedicated to Hulu.
Hulu on Disney+
Disney is adding more content to its streaming service as Hulu gets its own tab next to National Geographic. US subscribers will be the first to see the change, which will likely be rolled out to other countries soon, given that they have the bundle subscription.
The addition serves as a limited beta version of Hulu, with the official release set for spring. Once you select the Hulu tab, you will be taken to its own hub, which will feature thousands of movies and shows, as reported by Engadget.
With the inclusion of Hulu within Disney+, subscribers will not have to open a separate app to access certain content. However, this does not mean that Hulu's own app will be discontinued, as it will still play an important role when it comes to its library.
Disney Entertainment's President of Direct-to-Consumer, Joe Earley, said that "It's an exciting next step for Direct-to-Consumer, but it's important that people have managed expectations about what the experience is going to be."
The Hulu app will still hold all the content that the service has to offer, while Disney+ will only show a limited number of them. In addition to that, the app will also serve as access to the Hulu + Live TV and Premium add-ons.
The early rollout will provide subscribers with the chance to set up parental controls as well, seeing as Hulu contains movies and shows that may not be suited for children. Adults can already set up a family profile with the beta version of the integration.
Earley expressed his hopes for the integration to continue Disney's commitment to putting subscribers first, as well as drive deeper engagement and discoverability by having more content available in one place.
Disney's Acquisition of Hulu
The entertainment giant acquiring Hulu was already expected by most, considering that Disney already has the majority stake. Disney CEO Bob Iger has also hinted at the purchase in the last couple of months, saying that they are studying the business very carefully.
The remaining one-third is owned by Comcast, which the company will purchase for $8.61 billion. Disney said in a statement that the move would further value Disney's steaming objectives, as mentioned by CNN.
It was previously owned by various media companies like 21st Century Fox, Comcast, and more, but most started to create their own streaming platforms, which eventually left Comcast to be one of the original owners. Despite this, Hulu continued to create its own original content.
Iger stated how it's clear that a combination of the content that is on Disney+ with general entertainment is a very positive and strong combination from a subscriber perspective. Even before the acquisition plans, Disney+ already has a bundle plan that includes Hulu and ESPN+.
