Disney+ reportedly set for its biggest shake up in years in drive to retain views
You may not have to spend time searching for something to watch in your evenings anymore as Disney might be introducing a 24/7 streaming service.
Since its launch in 2019, Disney+ has been gaining momentum, quickly becoming a rival to other major streaming giants, either by purchasing the rights to Netflix's Marvel Universe shows like The Punisher or being the hub of several Star Wars series.
It's now rumoured that the popular streaming service will add linear channels to its service, aimed at keeping subscribers watching for longer periods.
Advert
According to The Information, Disney Plus's always-on streaming channels mean you will always have something playing live.
The channels are expected to show content from beloved franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, along with animated classics from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar. All of these are already available in Disney's library so if you wanted to rewatch from the beginning, you can.
The benefit is that you can have the app on in the background whilst you do other things or indulge in a spontaneous marathon without having Netflix repeatedly ask you whether you're 'still watching.'
Details about when the new feature will be implemented have not yet been confirmed.
Disney+ isn't the first platform to introduce always-on channels, as the likes of Pluto and Roku have offered this feature for a while now.
Premium streaming services like Paramount+, Peacock, and Amazon Prime also offer 24/7 live streaming channels for those who just want to effortlessly put some background noise on.
However, the big difference is that those mentioned above offer live channels with ads at no extra cost, whilst it seems that Disney+ will include these channels in existing payment tiers.
The rise of always-on channels on streaming services is a reflection of the growing popularity of free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) - which is a throwback to channel surfing on traditional TV viewing before streaming became a huge hit.
Like other available subscription packages, Disney is requiring users to pay a premium for an ad-free experience. Additionally, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced plans to tackle password sharing, starting with a few select countries and markets in June before expanding globally in September.