Disney sets Disney+ streaming priorities around creator content, free tier and Hulu integration

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Disney+ streaming priorities

Highlights

Disney plans to scale Disney+ vertical video output to 500 new daily clips by early April, up from 150 per day this quarter.
Disney will introduce a Disney+ free tier with FAST channels and content sampling, expanding ad-supported options amid growing competition from Tubi and YouTube.
Disney targets Hulu and Disney+ app integration milestones through fiscal Q4, aiming to create a digital centerpiece platform for content, games, and merchandise.

Streaming roadmap targets engagement and product expansion

As first reported by Business Insider, screenshots of an internal Disney presentation show the company is preparing several product changes for Disney+ over the next year, including more vertical video, creator programming and work on a free tier. The presentation was discussed at a town hall late last week, where technology leaders, including vice president of product management Dave Lindsay, outlined priorities for Disney's 2027 fiscal year, which began in October.

The internal roadmap says Disney plans to scale up to 500 new vertical clips a day by the end of next quarter, which concludes in early April, after starting this quarter at about 150 clips a day. The presentation also says Disney aims to add new content types every quarter, including sports clips, news and short-form micro series, while introducing creator content in early 2027.

The deck also refers to a "Free Plan" and "the free experience," including FAST channel creation and content sampling. Disney+ already offers some always-on channels to paid subscribers, and the proposed free product would expand on that model as audiences increasingly shift toward ad-supported viewing options such as Tubi and YouTube.

Disney is also preparing to livestream the Super Bowl in the U.S. on Disney+ for the first time in mid-February. The presentation describes the event as a major tentpole and lists live 4K HDR, lower latency, scale, event monitoring and live content security as key priorities for the stream.

Hulu combination supports broader super app strategy

Disney is continuing its multiyear effort to combine Hulu and Disney+ under the internal project known as Project Gemini. The presentation says one-app milestones are scheduled through Disney's fiscal fourth quarter, which runs from early July to early October, although it does not specify what those milestones include or when full integration is completed.

The combined app strategy is part of Disney's wider effort to turn Disney+ into what executives describe as the digital centerpiece of the company. The goal is to deepen engagement, raise lifetime customer value and create a platform where users can also access games and buy merchandise without leaving the service.

That strategy comes as Disney seeks to improve its competitive position in streaming. According to Nielsen data cited in the report, Disney's streamers account for 4.8% of U.S. TV viewership in August, compared with 15.8% for YouTube and 7.7% for Netflix, though Disney remains ahead of Paramount+ and Peacock on that measure.

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