Considering Disney already invested in Hulu in 2019, before purchasing the streaming service outright in early November, it seems a bit too late. However, a combined Disney Plus and Hulu app is finally coming – and it will be beta tested very soon.
The revelation comes straight from Disney CEO Bob Iger, who confirmed the news during Disney’s Q4 2023 earnings call (as reported by IGN). During the Q3 2023 earnings call three months ago, Iger confirmed that Disney Plus and Hulu were forced to compete against Netflix, with the app merger set to happen by the end of the year.
Now we know the new app will enter beta testing in December, with an official launch in the first few months of 2024 – so that schedule is still in effect.
One barrier to the combined app was removed last week, when Disney acquired Comcast’s 33% stake in Hulu. Now that Disney has full control, it can continue to offer a single supercharged streaming app, and continue to offer Disney Plus and Hulu as separate entities.
“We remain on track to roll out a more unified one-app experience domestically, making expanded general entertainment content available to bundle subscribers through Disney Plus,” Iger said. At the same time, Disney’s Q4 2023 Earnings Report also confirmed that Disney Plus has surpassed 150 million users for the first time. For comparison, Netflix is estimated to have around 250 million.
What it means for streamers
There are some caveats here. First, as we mentioned, Disney Plus and Hulu (and Disney-owned ESPN) will continue to be available separately, if you prefer. The unified Disney Plus and Hulu app will only be available to Disney Plus bundle subscribers, a deal that currently costs $9.99 per month with ads and $19.99 without.
Secondly, the new 2-in-1 app will only be available in the US – that’s perhaps not surprising considering Hulu is only available in the US. There is speculation that Disney could eventually launch Hulu outside the US, which would mean that every unified app could be available internationally, but at this point this seems unlikely.
Right now, users outside the US can get some Hulu content, including Murders in the building And The bear – via Disney Plus Star, another ‘brand’ within Disney Plus (such as Star Wars and Marvel). It costs nothing extra and doesn’t require a separate app, so in some ways the Disney Plus-Hulu merger has already happened outside the US.
When the new Disney Plus-Hulu mega-app is fully operational next year, it will certainly be one of the biggest shakeups the streaming landscape has seen yet. If you’re wondering how all these platforms currently compare, check out our best streaming service guide.