Disney+ will follow Netflix with a new CHEAP plan — but there’s a catch

DISNEY+ has released details about its cheaper, ad-supported plan ahead of its launch later this year.

Subscribers to the new payment tier must view up to four minutes of advertising per hour as part of their viewing experience.

It comes after bitter rival Netflix announced similar plans to attract new subscribers.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Disney officials said they will not run ads during content targeted at preschoolers.

“We will never collect data on individual children to target them,” Rita Ferro of the company told the publication.

Ads promoting alcohol and politics will be banned to keep the platform family-friendly.

Speaking to TechCrunch, Disney confirmed the plans, adding that they will go into effect when the new tier launches.

The planned four minutes of advertising per hour would result in viewers spending less time on commercials than users of competing platforms.

Peacock’s ad-supported service shows about five minutes of ads per hour, while the Hulu version shows twice as many ads as Disney+.

The popular streaming app announced the new tier in March.

It’s part of a broader initiative by industry big players to attract more subscribers as competition increases.

Disney hasn’t revealed the price or launch date of the new tier.

It will cost less than the platform’s current cheapest plan, which charges customers £8/$8 per month.

In a press release, Disney said it will be launching the ad-supported tier for the first time in the US in late 2022.

The company plans to expand internationally over the next year.

The company said the new tier is a “building block” toward its goal of reaching 230 million subscribers worldwide by mid-2024.

At the end of 2021, Disney+ had 130 million paying customers.

Launched in 2019, the service has proven extremely popular thanks to its outstanding selection of shows and movies.

Subscribers get exclusive access to content from the Star Wars and Marvel franchises, as well as the entire Pixar and Disney catalogs.

Competing platforms Netflix and Amazon Prime don’t have cheaper, ad-supported tiers available.

However, a leaked Netflix memo has hinted that one will be available as early as October.

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https://www.thesun.ie/tech/8815998/disney-follow-netflix-cheap-plan-catch/ Disney+ will follow Netflix with a new CHEAP plan — but there’s a catch