Disney Plus reaches deal with Amazon
Amazon's Fire TV devices will include the Disney Plus streaming service when it launches Nov. 12.
- I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
Disney Plus will be carried on Amazon's Fire TV.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has announced reaching a distribution deal with Amazon for Disney Plus, as reported earlier by CNBC. The agreement will see Amazon's Fire TV devices carry the upcoming streaming service, The Wall Street Journal said. Disney Plus confirmed the deal to CNET, saying Iger made the comments during Disney's earnings call late Thursday.
Disney Plus will offer a swathe of old and new Disney, Fox, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic content. It's priced at $7 a month and launches Nov. 12 in the US, Canada and the Netherlands and Nov. 19 in Australia and New Zealand. Disney announced Thursday that Disney Plus will launch March 31, 2020, in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
"We've spent the last few years completely transforming The Walt Disney Company to focus the resources and immense creativity across the entire company on delivering an extraordinary direct-to-consumer experience, and we're excited for the launch of Disney Plus on November 12," Iger said Thursday.
The deal follows Disney and Amazon's discussions over the terms of carrying Disney apps on the Fire TV device, according to the WSJ report. Amazon confirmed via email that the Disney Plus app will be coming to its Fire TV streaming devices, Fire TV Edition smart TVs and compatible Fire Tablets -- and Disney will be giving Fire TV and Fire Tablet users a free seven-day trial of Disney Plus.
Amazon Fire users will be able to say "Alexa, open Disney Plus" into their Alexa Voice Remote, Echo or Fire TV Cube with built-in Alexa, Amazon added.
Disney has added support for Samsung , LG , Apple, Google and Microsoft in addition to the Amazon Fire TV, Iger said on the call.
Iger also said Disney-owned FX will be developing content exclusively for streaming platform Hulu, which is also owned by Disney.
"FX is producing original programming for Hulu," Iger said, adding FX's entire library of content will be moved to Hulu. Shows currently airing on FX will be available on Hulu "hours after they air."
A bundle with Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu with ads will be priced at $13 a month, according to Axios.
First published at 1:43 p.m. PT on Nov. 7.
Updated at 3:03 p.m.: Adds detail on other launch dates; Updated at 3:10 p.m.: Adds confirmation from Amazon.
