Disney Plus and Hulu Block Apple Signups: What's Next for Streaming Services?

Disney Plus and Hulu’s Major Move

Disney Plus and Hulu have recently made a significant decision that impacts how users subscribe to their services. New and returning users can no longer sign up through Apple’s iOS apps. Instead, both services now direct potential subscribers to finish setting up their accounts via their respective websites.

The Reason Behind This Shift

This strategic move appears to be focused on maximizing subscription revenues by avoiding the fees that Apple typically collects from app transactions. Although existing subscribers who signed up through Apple will continue to be billed via that platform, new subscribers will now have to navigate directly to disneyplus.com or hulu.com to initiate their subscriptions.

Industry Implications

• Disney Plus and Hulu join Netflix and Spotify in circumventing App Store signups.
• This trend suggests a broader industry shift towards direct-to-consumer subscriptions.
• Companies are increasingly seeking to retain more revenue from their own services.

As the streaming landscape evolves, it remains to be seen how this change will influence subscriber growth and user experience in the ever-competitive market.