Soul has arrived on Disney+ and, I don’t know about you, but all my social media timelines are filled with people saying how much they love it. It stars Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, and tells the story of Joe, a musician who lands a gig at the best Jazz club in town. There is also a load of related extras available within the streaming service. The score is by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Disney+ Dominates Streaming Service Advertising
Disney+, followed by Hulu, had the most advertising impressions of any streaming service in 2020, with Apple TV+ garnering 6.6. billion.
Reflecting on a Landmark Year For Streaming - Media+
Tom Harrington of Enders Analysis joins host Charlotte Henry to look back at 2020. In a landmark year for streaming, who were the big winners and losers?
In a Year of Minuses, Streaming Services Are All About the Plus
Everyone knows that you can’t have a streaming service and not call it Something+. (You even need to use a ‘+’ if you launch a podcast that discusses streaming services.) The LA Times looked into how, and why, this came to be.
Steve Kazanjian, president and chief executive of Promax, the trade association for marketing companies serving the entertainment industries, said the repeated use of the arithmetic symbol has made it an efficient tool to create awareness of the new services. “There is a stake in the ground that’s around ‘plus’ right now,” he said. “It’s in the consumer lexicon. It owns a bit of emotional equity in your brain already, which is really powerful.” Discovery found that was the case when it conducted surveys and focus groups with consumers on possible names for its service. The company considered dozens of original monikers — testing Latin words and new-fangled creations that came from combined words — a route that Jeffrey Katzenberg’s short-lived streaming service took when it melded “quick bites” into Quibi.
Disney+ Now Has a Staggering 86.8 Million Paid Subs
As of December 2, Disney+ had 86.8 million paid subscribers Variety reported. Originally it had expected to be at 90 million in year four. The company also announced a host of new content, including from Star Wars and Marvel, was on the way. However, the streaming service also plans to up its prices in 2021.
With the strong momentum at Disney Plus’ back, the company now expects the streamer to have between 230 million and 260 million total paid subscribers by the end of fiscal year 2024, CFO Christine McCarthy said at the company’s investor day Thursday, along with other projections. The forecast includes Star subscribers, Disney’s forthcoming international general-entertainment service mimicking Hulu, which are substantially expected to be bundled in with Disney Plus.
Disney+ Surpasses 73 Million Paying Subscribers
As of October 3, Disney+ had surpassed 73 million paying subscribers, Variety reported. Around 42.6 million are estimated to Apple TV+.
That marks a leap from the 60.5 million paying subscribers that Disney Plus had when Disney last reported earnings in early August. Hulu now has 36.6 million total paying subscribers, up from 35.5 million in late June, while ESPN Plus has grown to 10.3 million subscribers, up from 8.5 million reported last quarter… That marks a leap from the 60.5 million paying subscribers that Disney Plus had when Disney last reported earnings in early August. Hulu now has 36.6 million total paying subscribers, up from 35.5 million in late June, while ESPN Plus has grown to 10.3 million subscribers, up from 8.5 million reported last quarter.
‘The Mandalorian’ Supports AirPods Pro Spatial Audio
As Andrew tuned in to watch the second season of “The Mandalorian”, he was pleasantly surprised to find that it supports AirPods Pro spatial audio.
The Mandalorian Season Two Arrives on Disney+
The first episode of season two of The Mandalorian is now available on Disney+, with new episodes coming weekly. The Star Wars spin-off picks up after the fall of the Galactic Empire, with lawlessness rife. The streaming service costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 for a year.
A Quarter of Netflix Subscribers Also Have Apple TV+
Around 25 percent of Netflix subscribers also have Apple TV+, while 91 percent of Apple TV+ subscribers have Netflix.
MacBooks with Apple Silicon Could be Substantially Cheaper
The first official Mac with an ARM CPU could be a re-branded MacBook, and one leak suggests these new MacBooks with Apple Silicon could be substantially cheaper than their predecessors.
TMO Contributor Kelly Guimont (#11) - TMO BGM Interview
Kelly Guimont is a long-time podcaster, Contributing Editor for The Mac Observer, the host of the Mac Observer’s Daily Observations podcast, and a tech support guru.
In her 11th appearance, Kelly and I chat about our favorite TV shows of the 1980s as well as some of our favorite, recent movies. I open segment #1 with a fond recollection by both us us for Miami Vice (Starz), then similar feelings about Hill Street Blues (Hulu). A Kelly favorite along with me was: Magnum P.I. (Amazon). In segment #2 we critiqued Knives Out (iTunes), Onward (Disney+), Saving Mr. Banks (Netflix) and superb scifi The Lost Room (Amazon). Join us as we explore together what’s great about these shows.
As Streaming TV Services Beef Up, Apple TV+ Will Be in a Real Fight
Established streaming TV services have strong video libraries and relationships, experience and bargaining power. They can ramp up when needed. Apple TV+ doesn’t enjoy that kind of leverage.
New Streaming and Subscribers – TMO Daily Observations 2020-04-16
John Martellaro and Charlotte Henry join host Kelly Guimont to discuss new streaming services, and how the “old” ones stack up against them.
Amidst COVID-19, Disney+ Soars. Apple TV+ Not So Much
Analysis shows that Apple TV+ decisions about new content don’t seem to be resonating with viewers under lockdown.
The Pick Your Streaming Service and Device Giveaway: HBO Now, Apple TV+, Hulu, Disney+, More
We have a giveaway for you today called The Pick Your Streaming Service and Device Giveaway. The winner can choose a streaming device, including, but not limited to: Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, and Google ChromeCast. And, a 1-year subscription to the streaming service of your choice — including, but not limited to: Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, and Disney+. Cool, right? To enter, register for our deal emails (which you should do anyway). If you’re already registered, click the Enter to Win button on the giveaway listing.
You Can Watch Disney+ Securely, Anywhere, With ProtonVPN
Disney+ is the latest streaming service available on ProtonVPN, meaning content can be watched even in countries that block the service.
Exciting New Rumors: iMac and MacBook Pro for 2020
John has found some fascinating rumors regarding the 2020 iMacs and 13-inch MacBook Pro. Buckle up.
TMO UK Associate Editor Charlotte Henry (#4) - TMO Background Mode Interview
Charlotte Henry is a London-based technical journalist. A self-described media junkie, she writes about Apple — and now for the Mac Observer as well as our UK Associate Editor. She has also written for City A.M. (London’s daily business tabloid,) Computer Business Review, the Independent on Sunday and CapX. Her new book is: Not Buying It.
In this special episode, Charlotte and I discuss the various streaming TV services: Apple TV+, Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, CBS All Access, Britbox, Peacock, and Quibi. We chat about our favorite shows, our experiences viewing, the pricing, and the prospects of success for the new guys on the block. Charlotte loves The Bold Type (Netflix). John waxes poetic about The Mandalorian and Star Trek: Picard.
Determining Streaming Success – TMO Daily Observations 2020-02-06
John Martellaro joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss John’s metrics of what makes a streaming service a success and obstacles that lie in wait.
S Woz on S Jobs, Streaming Signature Shows – TMO Daily Observations 2020-02-05
John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join host Kelly Guimont to discuss Woz’s chat about Steve Jobs, and John’s ranking of streaming shows.
