DisneyNow

DisneyNOW
DisneyNow
Available inEnglish
FoundedSeptember 29, 2017
DissolvedSeptember 23, 2024; 40 days ago (2024-09-23) (mobile app only)
Headquarters
United States
Area servedUnited States
ParentDisney Branded Television
(Disney General Entertainment Content)
URLhttps://disneynow.com/
AdvertisingThe Walt Disney Company
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional, but a separate TV provider log-in is required for most content
Current statusOnline (web only)

DisneyNow (stylized as DisneyNOW) is a TV Everywhere platform offered by Disney Branded Television. Replacing the individual "Watch" apps for the respective channels, the service offers programming from Disney Channel, Disney Jr, and Disney XD for subscribers to the three networks on television providers.

It launched on September 29, 2017, replacing the individual "Watch" apps that originally launched for these networks in 2012, as well as the networks' respective official websites. The mobile and digital media player apps for the platform were discontinued on September 23, 2024; service remains available via its website.

History

Disney first launched TV Everywhere services for Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD in June 2012—the "Watch" apps (whose branding were modeled after WatchESPN)—as part of new carriage agreements with Comcast Xfinity that included digital rights to the programming of Disney's cable channels via authenticated streaming.[1]

In February of 2017, during upfronts presentations for its children's channels, Disney announced that the individual Watch Disney Channel, Watch Disney Junior, and Watch Disney XD apps would be replaced by a new service known as DisneyNow; the service integrated the three channels' content, along with Radio Disney, into a unified library. It also included games based on programs from the three channels, a profile system, and parental controls that can lock the app to Disney Junior only. The new apps launched specifically on September 29, 2017 for Android, iOS, Apple TV, and Roku. Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV versions were released in 2018.[2][3][4]

On December 1, 2018, Chinese animated series Stitch & Ai, a spin-off of the Lilo & Stitch franchise that originally aired in 2017, made its American debut on DisneyNow, with twelve of the series' thirteen episodes released on the service.[5]

With the launch of the new subscription-based streaming service Disney+ on November 12, 2019, Disney began to remove library content from DisneyNow including Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, That's So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Phineas and Ferb, Gravity Falls, The Proud Family, and Andi Mack, as well as older and oldest seasons and episodes of shows like Raven's Home, Bunk'd, Big City Greens, and DuckTales in order to encourage subscription to the service.[6][7]

On August 24, 2024, Disney began notifying customers that it would discontinue the mobile and digital media player apps for DisneyNow, as well as ABC, Freeform, FX, and National Geographic, along with DisneyNOW, effective September 23. TV Everywhere content will still be available via their respective websites. It was suggested to be a move to discourage use of the services in favor of Disney+ and Hulu.[8]

On October 18, 2024, it was announced that the games section on the DisneyNOW website would be removed on November 14, 2024.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Disney launches streaming apps for the iPhone and iPad, Comcast gets them first". The Verge. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  2. ^ Spangler, Todd (2017-09-28). "Disney Unifies Kids' Cable Channels in 'DisneyNow' App". Variety. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  3. ^ Steinberg, Brian (28 February 2017). "As 'Kids' Upfront' Kicks Off, Disney Woos Madison Avenue". Variety. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  4. ^ Perez, Sarah. "Disney releases DisneyNow, a new app that combines live TV, on-demand, games and music". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
  5. ^ ""Stitch & Ai" Has Surprise Release on DisneyNOW". LaughingPlace.com. December 1, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  6. ^ Grothaus, Michael (2019-11-07). "Disney's cable viewers say on-demand content is disappearing a week before Disney+ launch". Fast Company. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  7. ^ "Disney is Removing On-Demand Content From Cable Customers Ahead of The Disney+ Launch". Cord Cutters News. November 29, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  8. ^ Bouma, Luke (August 24, 2024). "Disney is Shutting Down Disney, Freeform, FXNow, & National Geographic Channel Apps". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  9. ^ Betti, Tony (October 18, 2024). "Games Based On Disney Channel and Disney Jr. Shows To Be Removed From DisneyNOW Website Next Month". LaughingPlace.com. Retrieved October 29, 2024.