7 ms·

Disney says it has more streaming customers than Netflix

88 points by lxm 4y ago

legitster 4y ago
Disney has so much less content, and I really don't mind it. There's nothing I hate more than logging into Netflix after a month and everything I was vaguely interested in has now completely disappeared and been replaced by even more half-assed looking projects. Also, shout out to Disney for actually making it easy to restart a show from the beginning. I don't understand how Netflix has dropped so much money into children's programming without doing any sort of user testing to find out that kids generally like watching the same shows again.
- Scaevolus 4y ago
  Disney even lets you pin shows so you don't have to keep searching for them!
  - nathanbarry 4y ago
    I didn't know that! runs off to pin the animated robin hood for my 3 year old
  - TheBrokenRail 4y ago
    Paramount+ also allows you to this.
  - mherdeg 4y ago
    My least favorite disneyplus.com experience is using the desktop site to try to find an episode of Bluey which the kids are asking for. "We want to watch 'The Beach', please." OK let's go to disneyplus.com and type in "Bluey" (no search by episode name). There are 3 seasons available. I can see five episode titles at a time. Hmm, how do I see more episodes? Oh right, if I hover my mouse over episode 6, a right arrow is visible. Let's tap that one...two...three..four times, here we go, s01e26 The Beach. There are about 50 episodes per season, so good luck finding s02e45. Also, the order in which they are shelved on Disney Plus sometimes varies versus what's shown in Web searches for the episode order.
    - dools 4y ago
      You can search the episodes in google eg. bluey "the beach" episode
    - godmode2019 4y ago
      YouTube search is really good for that. "Muddy trucks please" Me types "muddy trucks kids show". Exact show is in the top 5 and you have the hover to play snippet feature that gives the kids an idea if its the show they wanted to see.
- paul7986 4y ago
  Disney also owns awesome legacy IP; superheros, star wars, pixar and disney movies. It's also a lot cheaper and indeed less bloated. Netflix has zero such legacy content and it's more expensive; soon even harder to use with them locking down sharing!
  - cgriswald 4y ago
    Netflix is also doling out shows a few episodes a week to keep people from subscribing, binging, and unsubscribing. That works fine for something like Stranger Things but they're even doing it for shows no one is subscribing to see. Frankly, the ability to binge a show is like decanting a wine or heating sake. It can make a mediocre show a lot better. Taking away that ability should be used with caution. As a long time subscriber, it's got me thinking about only subscribing a few months a year; since I'd usually rather wait to binge a show anyway... Why they can't link account age and binge-ability isn't clear to me; guessing something to do with contracts.
    - foobazgt 4y ago
      Netflix ending binge watching is reported to be a rumor: https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/netflix-binge-release-series-strategy-1235407736/ https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/netflix-binge-release-... (/me busy binge watching the latest Dragon Prince release).
      - cgriswald 4y ago
        The only source we have that it's a rumor is Netflix. Netflix is also my source: Several shows that were released in bulk for previous seasons are releasing between 1 and 3 episodes per week for their current seasons.
        foobazgt 4y ago
        True, I am relying on their statement. That said, my personal experience is that Netflix is generally still binge-able while every other streaming service is not. Maybe you and I are watching different content.
- Barrin92 4y ago
  >and been replaced by even more half-assed looking projects the "half-assed" projects are the only thing that has me coming back. Netflix in contrast to a lot of the other services still has a decent amount in particular foreign and original IP. Most recent example, Cyberpunk Edgerunners, that would not be on Disney+. I just don't care about the 50th take on Star Wars. Given the numbers apparently I'm the only one on the planet but I just don't understand it.
  - rodgerd 4y ago
    You aren't the only one, but this year has seen both streamers take an axe to a lot of their interesting pieces, particularly for kids: Amphibia, Ghost City, The Owl House, Hilda, Baby Sitter's Club, and Kid Cosmic all off the top of my head.
  - Cyph0n 4y ago
    Netflix does indeed have some “hidden” gems. But I’d say that HBO takes the cake for unique shows with consistent quality that are - most importantly - allowed to run to completion. My go-to example is The Leftovers. What kind of network would ever greenlight that kind of show, let alone have it run for three whole seasons to its natural conclusion?
    - kranke155 4y ago
      Hopefully this will remain now that HBO has changed hands. HBO quality is really second to none in shows for you know, adults.
      - lotsofpulp 4y ago
        ATT has already fired the original crew of HBO executives that curated HBO’s selection, and now that the reality TV show sellers are the bosses, I doubt they will want to take the chances that the old HBO bosses had taken.
        kranke155 4y ago
- rabuse 4y ago
  They have less content, but Netflix is seriously full of so much trash content. I've rarely enjoyed a Netflix original movie.
  - grogenaut 4y ago
    I mostly agree tho there are some decent ones. I liked both enola homes movies for instance. but that's the ones I can think of off of the top of my head.
  - enumjorge 4y ago
    They’re original stuff is often so incredibly generic and uninspiring. They might have changed how they display shows recently, but I swear there was a period of time not long ago when the main image for a show would only have a single person with a nondescript background. It felt like the whole thing was algorithmically generated.
    - legitster 4y ago
      > It felt like the whole thing was algorithmically generated. It is: https://www.looper.com/274997/the-secret-behind-netflixs-personalized-thumbnails/ https://www.looper.com/274997/the-secret-behind-netflixs-per...
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
    - hdjjhhvvhga 4y ago
      > They’re original stuff is often so incredibly generic and uninspiring. And to think these are supposed to be opposites... When Netflix started doing their own productions, I think everybody understood it was the right business decision - to make them less dependent on big studios. But they spectacularly failed. Apart from a few shows everything else is so generic, there is no character in it. It is as if they were afraid of experimenting, of adding some creativity, of being a failure. Well it's all just uninteresting - it turns our I prefer to watch interesting free content on Youtube than supposedly premium content on Netflix.
  - 4y ago
- duxup 4y ago
  I kinda hate how the lack of content is filled in by a lot of National Geographic Channel low quality infotainment. It is a very strange contrast to have such high quality and garbage next to each other. Also the restart show works, but not a whole series… it will still sometimes get confused and jump ahead because you watched future shows.
- Silhouette 4y ago
  Disney has so much less content Does it really? (Serious question.) We got Disney because of the Disney part but I was pleasantly surprised by how much other big name content is on there. I'm hardly highbrow in my viewing habits and enjoy a good blockbuster movie or popular show as much as anyone. I do like to spend my limited viewing time on stuff that isn't complete junk though. I've all but stopped even checking Netflix now because the odds of anything on there being Netflix-made junk that I won't even finish watching are so high. Meanwhile I'm probably working through a couple of different shows and have several movies waiting at any given time on Disney. I suspect our Netflix subscription will be ending soon as I don't think anyone else in the house is watching anything on there either right now.
- gnufied 4y ago
  This is disney+hulu+espn combined! When hotstar was bundled with Hulu - hulu suddenly got huge infusion of Indian movies and shows. Nothing Netflix has even comes close. I wonder also, if they are counting hotstar, which is pretty big in India. Having said that - I personally find content on disney+ boring and stale. Some Marvel and Star War spin offs are okay, but most are meh. I don't know how to put it, but disney+ is trying too hard to en-cash popularity of existing franchise and I believe lacks depth. Netflix while has uneven programming has/had shows which are pretty good and break new ground(IMO). Queen's Gambit, Dragon Prince, Arcana etc are pretty good. They have also wasted money on the whole witcher show and their "original" movies are by and large meh.
- arwineap 4y ago
  > Also, shout out to Disney for actually making it easy to restart a show from the beginning. I don't understand how Netflix has dropped so much money into children's programming without doing any sort of user testing to find out that kids generally like watching the same shows again. I'm baffled at how much of a pain this is. Don't show him more stuff, he very clearly wants to watch what he's chosen; yes again, what do you want from me?
muglug 4y ago
Content is king. Once the big studios started pulling their stuff from Netflix in favour of their own streaming platforms, the writing was on the wall. Netflix doesn’t have the breadth of monetisable IP that the mouse has. The latest season of The Crown is basically scraping the barrel of royal family drama. Stranger Things has a season or two left. If I had Netflix stock I’d sell.
- PuppyTailWags 4y ago
  I'm surprised by this because Netflix has Heartstopper & Neil Gaiman's Sandman. They've also canceled a bunch of stuff that could come back really strong, Sense8 comes to mind.
  - JDazzle 4y ago
    Sure, yes, but Heartstopper was a risk and Sandman, one of the more bankable IPs, was kept in limbo for a new season until the last few weeks for fear that not many people would want to watch it (probably an indicator in and of itself as to why all their original shows were cancelled)
    - tjakab 4y ago
      Realistically the second season of Sandman and final season of Stranger Things probably won't materialize until 2024 given how long they take to produce.
  - lumost 4y ago
    I recall reading that Netflix intentionally capped the production of successful shows to avoid overpaying for actors. Actor contracts apparently have predetermined rates for 3-4 seasons, and then must be renegotiated. For a successful show the actors can have immense leverage (see Seinfeld). Netflix thought they we being smart by doing this, but they may have simply upped their content risk and simultaneously convinced top talent to work with other streamers.
    - 4y ago
unstatusthequo 4y ago
How many are “free” via Verizon?
longcommonname 4y ago
Disney is primarily an entertainment company and focuses on users enjoyment. Netflix is now an ad/ tech company.
- kcb 4y ago
  I would be pretty confident Disney makes far more money from advertising even as a percent of revenue than Netflix.
- 22c 4y ago
  longcommon's law? Any sufficiently advanced digital media outlet is indistinguishable from an AdTech company.
stormbrew 4y ago
In Canada Disney+ is where most of the stuff on Hulu or FX eventually ends up, among some other things, and at this point I think it's actually probably the streaming service with the deepest library because of that, which is kind of funny. It's probably the one I'd be least likely to drop, while Netflix has been on the verge a few times now.
hemloc_io 4y ago
Here's a question I've had and maybe someone from HN can answer it. The (movie) streaming wars have content as a differentiator in the market, but it doesn't seem like Spotify/Apple music is effected. Assuming both the RIAA and MPAA members both don't care about consumer complaints that much, why do record companies not start their own streaming services? I assume it's easier than making a movie streaming service, and it's basically the same business model right? Why aren't we reading these headlines about Top Dawg vs Spotify instead of Disney vs Netflix.
- version_five 4y ago
  The streaming services only work if they are "better" than just downloading the content for free. My guess is that music has a much lower barrier, both in terms of availability and in people's tolerance to listen only to parts of a catalogue divided along record company lines, so if only 25% your top 40 (or 90s or whatever) was available on SONY Streaming, you'd just say fuck it and download it. Somehow, the video landscape has shaken out to have generalist (Netflix,maybe Amazon) and specialty content, not all that different from cable. So people are used to it that way. And come to think of it, radio generally plays music from all record companies, so there is a precedent there too. With more fragmentation, particularly with Netflix losing it's generalist position and having more self-produced crap, I suspect that downloading movies is going to become viable for more people
  - adgjlsfhk1 4y ago
    I think a lot of the reason is length. With movies you get disappointed once per 2 hours of content if you don't find what you searched for. With songs, it's 10-20 times per hour.
- colinmhayes 4y ago
  I don't think people would use a music streaming service that doesn't have all the content they want. I think the record companies agreed to the streaming deal because they saw that piracy was a legitimate issue, and the business strategy probably just worked better than for film. $5 or $10 a month per user adds up to an acceptable amount of revenue for music labels + streaming services to split, but there's just more money in film so the price for a universal streamer would be bonkers and no one would pay. The content probably works better for film streamers too. If you have to change apps every time you finish a 3 minute song to listen to the next one you probably would look for a different solution, but film is a much longer commitment so switching services after watching is less of a hassle.
Victerius 4y ago
I'm one of them. I unsubscribed to Netflix and subscribed to Disney+. I don't watch a lot of shows, but I'm a huge fan of Star Wars, which Disney owns.
habibur 4y ago
News says all three Disney owned streaming services : Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu, when counted together, have about 1% more subscribers than Netflix. I thought Disney streaming service now has more paying customers than Netflix. Still not the case.
jahewson 4y ago
Note that Netflix has more paying customers.
ShockedUnicorn 4y ago
To be clear. Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu when _combined_ have more customers. It's important to note that Disney pushes hard for buying these 3 together as a package for a reduced price, therefore basically tripling some customer numbers.
- walterclifford 4y ago
  > therefore basically tripling some customer numbers Since the bundle includes ESPN+ we have an upper bound on how big that "some" can possibly be: 24.3 million according to https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/disney-plus-subscribers-164-million-1235426552/ https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/disney-plus-subscribers-164... The actual bundle numbers will be less than that of course, but without knowing how many people subscribe exclusively to ESPN+ (i.e. not as part of the bundle) we don't know by how much.
- encryptluks2 4y ago
  It is like $20/mo for all three vs $16/mo for just Netflix. It is a good deal that is hard to beat although I think they are going to start running ads on the $20/mo plan so who knows it it will be a good deal for much longer.
LarsDu88 4y ago
Disney has decades of experience with content that the whole family can enjoy. Netflix has a decade of experience with...AWS With Netflix you get a mixed bag of Stranger Things + stuff that most folks expect to be dropped after 2 seasons. When Netflix pivoted into content, they needed to get creatives and passionate people in charge rather than the tech-world PMs they ended up putting in charge. Disney might not be perfect, but for the MCU and Jon Favreau-adjacent Star Wars stuff, theres a distinct respect for story telling and characters that just totally missing from some of the high budget Netflix stuff. Properties like MillarWorld just have the soul sucked straight out of them in Netflix's hands
- brookst 4y ago
  > When Netflix pivoted into content, they needed to get creatives and passionate people in charge rather than the tech-world PMs they ended up putting in charge. Very, very true. Disney's magic is their strength as a content brand. Not just their core products; with ESPN you know exactly what it's going to be, from live sports to documentaries. Netflix made an amazing pivot from physical to digital distribution, and that will be studied in business schools forever. But they failed to pivot from digital distribution to content. They knew they needed to, they spent billions of dollars trying to, but they didn't understand that content has to be the primary brand identity. Distribution is an implementation detail.
  - Izkata 4y ago
    > But they failed to pivot from digital distribution to content. There is a niche that no one fills, that I'm hoping Netflix shifts into: "Popular series was canceled? Let's pick it up and give it a final season!" They're doing it with Manifest right now. It was on NBC and canceled after 3 out of 5 planned seasons, and the creator was trying to figure out how he could finish the plot as a single movie, then Netflix bought it and gave him an entire 20 episodes to finish the plot - almost the entire two missing seasons. First half was just released a few days ago.
    - strgcmc 4y ago
alistairSH 4y ago
Not surprising, Disney (plus ESPN and HULU) is bundled with several cell phone plans in the US. I subscribe because it’s “free”. And Netflix continues its long slide into irrelevance. I’ve was a subscriber for many years, but cut it last month. Too much low-quality programming and it continually recommends shows I’ve watched previously and refuses to allow Apple to index it’s catalog so it appears in alongside other providers inside Apple TV.
- thebigspacefuck 4y ago
  Netflix is bundled with T-Mobile
  - mikestew 4y ago
    ..and that subsidy is the only thing keeping my Netflix subscription alive. I'm sure not getting ROI at full price.
- MBCook 4y ago
  > and refuses to allow Apple to index it’s catalog so it appears in alongside other providers inside Apple TV. I hate this so much. I understand the idea. “We want you to come to Netflix for all your needs”. Makes sense from their perspective. But I’M the user. My Apple TV helps me keep track of everything I’m watching right now. New seasons of shows I watch pop-up so I know they are out. I don’t have to check 7 apps every few days to stay on top. But Netflix won’t participate. You know what happened to me? I forgot about it! Instead of constantly reminding me it exists by seeing it in my Up Next section (like Hulu, HBO, Disney+, etc) it’s buried under a pile of other content I’m constantly reminded about. Terrible user-hostile decisions. Just like hiding your queue of what you were watching last to promote The Floor Is Lava: Season 7: Back to School Adventures or whatever I wasn’t going to watch anyways.
  - Infinitesimus 4y ago
    Netflix is naturally afraid of giving Apple, a trillion dollar competitor, access to their viewing data and help accelerate Apple's growth in the area.
TheBrokenRail 4y ago
Given just how important content is to streaming services and Netflix's reputation for canceling good shows, this doesn't seem that surprising to me. Especially since rather than focusing on content, Netflix is instead focusing on limiting password sharing, which was never going to give them good PR.
kmeisthax 4y ago
Caveat: Disney has three streaming services that they usually sell as a bundle, so if you buy the bundle they count you as three customers.
k__ 4y ago
I have the impression, Netflix lived past its prime some years ago. Back in 2010 it tried new things and was quite affordable. But it became a run of the mill cabel network, and not even a good one, many shows simply dissapear all the time.
maverickmax90 4y ago
Disney.. Terrible ux though ....can't match Netflix slick interactions
duxup 4y ago
How many of these viewers are free with some bundle, cell service or etc?
keewee7 4y ago
Why haven't any of the big streaming services tried bundling sports streaming?
- izacus 4y ago
  Because they're not allowed to due to exclusivity deals. Disney can just buy out content from competing services and HN will cheer them on with how amazing they are when they prevented other services from streaming the same content.
- systemicdanna 4y ago
  Not sure if sarcasm… Disney bundles Disney+/Hulu/ESPN.
nightski 4y ago
Is there any concrete evidence they are in a battle? How many households have both? I know Verizon includes the Disney bundle for free. Netflix just launched it's ad supported plan as well. Lots of things are in flux right now.
- systemicdanna 4y ago
  Anecdotally: not in a battle. I have unsubscribed from Netflix last year and got Disney+/Hulu for free. So these services are not fighting for my money!
  - brewdad 4y ago
    Same. Although we resubbed to Netflix after going without it for 3 or 4 months. Netflix has juuuuuust enough content to keep my wife interested. I could go without it and wouldn't miss much. For as little TV she watches though, having "her" shows available when she does want to watch means we keep paying.
    - systemicdanna 4y ago
      For me it wasn't just about money, I really disliked the process of going to Netflix and browsing their trash piles for 40 minutes before deciding to give up and go to bed.
dools 4y ago
Maybe Disney needs to do an original series called “Netflix” about the last Netflix subscriber on earth
kypro 4y ago
I know it's not Disney / Netflix, but am I the only one surprised by how good and unappreciated Prime Video is? I find there's some good stuff on there and it's all bundled in with my Prime subscription so as a long-term Prime subscriber I feel like I basically get it for free. The Boys is amazing for example, probably the best superhero show I've ever watched. Amazon Music got a nice upgrade recently as well with more albums included with the standard Prime subscription.
- systemicdanna 4y ago
  I can’t name a single other great show from Prime. It’s just the Boys.
  - somewhat_drunk 4y ago
    The Expanse.
    - systemicdanna 4y ago
      I mean… they just bought it recently, the show is not really Prime’s accomplishment. Kudos to Amazon for letting the show film its final season though!
  - codyjones 4y ago
    I liked Tales from the Loop and A Very English / Very British Scandal. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel wasn't my cup of tea, but it seemed well done.
- Terretta 4y ago
  > am I the only one surprised by how good Prime Video is? It's usually an expression, but you may, in fact, be the only one. Prime is the UHF of streaming platforms carrying the WTBS catalog of content. It's free, towards the end of the dial, and almost all re-runs with the occasional trophy showpiece.
- tedunangst 4y ago
  Not alone, but I'm kinda amazed how many people discount all the good prime originals that are available.
jurassic 4y ago
I saw somebody describe Netflix as a library of unfinished books. That sums up my feelings about the platform well. I don't bother, because I don't like to get invested in things that are very likely to be cancelled.
wnoise 4y ago
Counting the three services its content is distributed over, which almost certainly counts people subscribing to multiple services as multiple people.
deleted 4y ago
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marwatk 4y ago
I don't think they were able to "become HBO faster than HBO can become us"[1] and now they're paying the price. They have effectively zero moat with their own IP and now they're competing with everyone else for the same creative talent without an ability to separate the wheat from the chaff resulting in quality all over the map. 1: https://www.gq.com/story/netflix-founder-reed-hastings-house-of-cards-arrested-development?currentPage=1 https://www.gq.com/story/netflix-founder-reed-hastings-house...
deleted 4y ago
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billfruit 4y ago
Disney numbers may be larger due to budling with mobile subscription plans in several large countries, including India(where numbers are likely very large). Also Disney bundles in live sports coverage in some countries.
dumpsterdiver 4y ago
While I'm still a big fan of Disney+, lately I feel like they're watering down some of their brands (such as Star Wars) by pushing out low-effort storylines coupled with rehashed digital assets. For instance, the animation in the new "Tales of the Jedi" show that was released recently looks very similar to the animated Star Wars shows released 15 years ago. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the animation and storylines in "Star Wars: Visions", so it's not exactly like they're sinking the ship or anything.
- bluefirebrand 4y ago
  I strongly recommend going back and watching some of the 15 years ago Clone Wars to re-asses that observation. I'm rewatching it now and the difference is stark. Yes, the art style is similar. The animation quality isn't remotely close. The environments aren't remotely close. Clone Wars environments, especially the outdoor ones, are extremely bland and repetitive.
  - dumpsterdiver 4y ago
    > I strongly recommend going back and watching some of the 15 years ago Clone Wars to re-asses that observation Clone Wars was exactly what I was referring to, and upon your recommendation I did a side-by-side comparison, and you're definitely right about the quality. The general rendering quality (especially the environments) have not only improved from a technical standpoint, but it's also clear that more care has been put into the work. I guess my only complaint is the reuse of the style from the Clone Wars series. To play devil's advocate to myself, I didn't really follow Clone Wars. I was only aware of it. I can imagine that long time fans would be happy to see the style continue. Edit: typo
mensetmanusman 4y ago
Netflix should pivot back to physical distribution so that they can list absolutely everything on their catalogue again. Two hour drone shipping! :)
kajaktum 4y ago
I've not watched a single Netflix show the past half year and possibly more. I've only glanced over them as I walk by the living room when my family members are watching them. There's really nothing that interesting in these streaming platforms anymore.
jimmydddd 4y ago
I've never had any desire to sign up for Disney or Netflix. After reading the comments I feel like an extreme outlier? :-)
dontbenebby 4y ago
Tempest1981 4y ago
I know Verizon has been pushing "6 months free of Disney" really hard. I wonder if that's a factor in these numbers? Edit: discussed here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33526360 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33526360
Mikeb85 4y ago
Honestly Disney has it's own classics, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, National Geographic... That alone means I can't unsubscribe, even if I generally like Netflix better. And I'm sure lots of people feel the same way.
prirun 4y ago
Not such a great business though: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-11-08/disney-earnings-fourth-quarter-streaming-loses-1-5-billion-hulu-espn-chapek https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/20...
Ptchd 4y ago
Because people want to keep their kids glued to the "TV"
Watchwatcher 4y ago
Disney has recently blocked Linux users so they are currently dead to me.
- brnt 4y ago
  Thanks for letting me know. It's hard to figure out which services support Linux; usually they don't mention it, despite the browser being a so-called OS indepedent platform.
  - Watchwatcher 4y ago
    You can bypass it with a user agent extension. Change it to chrome on windows. There's no tech reason for the block, just crapy devs at a crappy company.
therobot24 4y ago
kids man it's the point of your life where disposable income is easily spent to make them happy and you look at products not with respect to shelf life, but with respect to how much the kid will _actually_ enjoy them even if for only a brief time subscriptions to disney+ are a 'no brainer', the content is there, _something_ will fit the bill without you even having to do the mental analysis

88 points by lxm 4y ago

Disney has so much less content, and I really don't mind it. There's nothing I hate more than logging into Netflix after a month and everything I was vaguely interested in has now completely disappeared and been replaced by even more half-assed looking projects. Also, shout out to Disney for actually making it easy to restart a show from the beginning. I don't understand how Netflix has dropped so much money into children's programming without doing any sort of user testing to find out that kids generally like watching the same shows again.

Scaevolus 4y ago
Disney even lets you pin shows so you don't have to keep searching for them!
- nathanbarry 4y ago
  I didn't know that! runs off to pin the animated robin hood for my 3 year old
- TheBrokenRail 4y ago
  Paramount+ also allows you to this.
- mherdeg 4y ago
  My least favorite disneyplus.com experience is using the desktop site to try to find an episode of Bluey which the kids are asking for. "We want to watch 'The Beach', please." OK let's go to disneyplus.com and type in "Bluey" (no search by episode name). There are 3 seasons available. I can see five episode titles at a time. Hmm, how do I see more episodes? Oh right, if I hover my mouse over episode 6, a right arrow is visible. Let's tap that one...two...three..four times, here we go, s01e26 The Beach. There are about 50 episodes per season, so good luck finding s02e45. Also, the order in which they are shelved on Disney Plus sometimes varies versus what's shown in Web searches for the episode order.
  - dools 4y ago
    You can search the episodes in google eg. bluey "the beach" episode
  - godmode2019 4y ago
    YouTube search is really good for that. "Muddy trucks please" Me types "muddy trucks kids show". Exact show is in the top 5 and you have the hover to play snippet feature that gives the kids an idea if its the show they wanted to see.
paul7986 4y ago
Disney also owns awesome legacy IP; superheros, star wars, pixar and disney movies. It's also a lot cheaper and indeed less bloated. Netflix has zero such legacy content and it's more expensive; soon even harder to use with them locking down sharing!
- cgriswald 4y ago
  Netflix is also doling out shows a few episodes a week to keep people from subscribing, binging, and unsubscribing. That works fine for something like Stranger Things but they're even doing it for shows no one is subscribing to see. Frankly, the ability to binge a show is like decanting a wine or heating sake. It can make a mediocre show a lot better. Taking away that ability should be used with caution. As a long time subscriber, it's got me thinking about only subscribing a few months a year; since I'd usually rather wait to binge a show anyway... Why they can't link account age and binge-ability isn't clear to me; guessing something to do with contracts.
  - foobazgt 4y ago
    Netflix ending binge watching is reported to be a rumor: https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/netflix-binge-release-series-strategy-1235407736/ https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/netflix-binge-release-... (/me busy binge watching the latest Dragon Prince release).
    - cgriswald 4y ago
      The only source we have that it's a rumor is Netflix. Netflix is also my source: Several shows that were released in bulk for previous seasons are releasing between 1 and 3 episodes per week for their current seasons.
      - foobazgt 4y ago
        True, I am relying on their statement. That said, my personal experience is that Netflix is generally still binge-able while every other streaming service is not. Maybe you and I are watching different content.
Barrin92 4y ago
>and been replaced by even more half-assed looking projects the "half-assed" projects are the only thing that has me coming back. Netflix in contrast to a lot of the other services still has a decent amount in particular foreign and original IP. Most recent example, Cyberpunk Edgerunners, that would not be on Disney+. I just don't care about the 50th take on Star Wars. Given the numbers apparently I'm the only one on the planet but I just don't understand it.
- rodgerd 4y ago
  You aren't the only one, but this year has seen both streamers take an axe to a lot of their interesting pieces, particularly for kids: Amphibia, Ghost City, The Owl House, Hilda, Baby Sitter's Club, and Kid Cosmic all off the top of my head.
- Cyph0n 4y ago
  Netflix does indeed have some “hidden” gems. But I’d say that HBO takes the cake for unique shows with consistent quality that are - most importantly - allowed to run to completion. My go-to example is The Leftovers. What kind of network would ever greenlight that kind of show, let alone have it run for three whole seasons to its natural conclusion?
  - kranke155 4y ago
    Hopefully this will remain now that HBO has changed hands. HBO quality is really second to none in shows for you know, adults.
    - lotsofpulp 4y ago
      ATT has already fired the original crew of HBO executives that curated HBO’s selection, and now that the reality TV show sellers are the bosses, I doubt they will want to take the chances that the old HBO bosses had taken.
      - kranke155 4y ago
rabuse 4y ago
They have less content, but Netflix is seriously full of so much trash content. I've rarely enjoyed a Netflix original movie.
- grogenaut 4y ago
  I mostly agree tho there are some decent ones. I liked both enola homes movies for instance. but that's the ones I can think of off of the top of my head.
- enumjorge 4y ago
  They’re original stuff is often so incredibly generic and uninspiring. They might have changed how they display shows recently, but I swear there was a period of time not long ago when the main image for a show would only have a single person with a nondescript background. It felt like the whole thing was algorithmically generated.
  - legitster 4y ago
    > It felt like the whole thing was algorithmically generated. It is: https://www.looper.com/274997/the-secret-behind-netflixs-personalized-thumbnails/ https://www.looper.com/274997/the-secret-behind-netflixs-per...
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - hdjjhhvvhga 4y ago
    > They’re original stuff is often so incredibly generic and uninspiring. And to think these are supposed to be opposites... When Netflix started doing their own productions, I think everybody understood it was the right business decision - to make them less dependent on big studios. But they spectacularly failed. Apart from a few shows everything else is so generic, there is no character in it. It is as if they were afraid of experimenting, of adding some creativity, of being a failure. Well it's all just uninteresting - it turns our I prefer to watch interesting free content on Youtube than supposedly premium content on Netflix.
- 4y ago
duxup 4y ago
I kinda hate how the lack of content is filled in by a lot of National Geographic Channel low quality infotainment. It is a very strange contrast to have such high quality and garbage next to each other. Also the restart show works, but not a whole series… it will still sometimes get confused and jump ahead because you watched future shows.
Silhouette 4y ago
Disney has so much less content Does it really? (Serious question.) We got Disney because of the Disney part but I was pleasantly surprised by how much other big name content is on there. I'm hardly highbrow in my viewing habits and enjoy a good blockbuster movie or popular show as much as anyone. I do like to spend my limited viewing time on stuff that isn't complete junk though. I've all but stopped even checking Netflix now because the odds of anything on there being Netflix-made junk that I won't even finish watching are so high. Meanwhile I'm probably working through a couple of different shows and have several movies waiting at any given time on Disney. I suspect our Netflix subscription will be ending soon as I don't think anyone else in the house is watching anything on there either right now.
gnufied 4y ago
This is disney+hulu+espn combined! When hotstar was bundled with Hulu - hulu suddenly got huge infusion of Indian movies and shows. Nothing Netflix has even comes close. I wonder also, if they are counting hotstar, which is pretty big in India. Having said that - I personally find content on disney+ boring and stale. Some Marvel and Star War spin offs are okay, but most are meh. I don't know how to put it, but disney+ is trying too hard to en-cash popularity of existing franchise and I believe lacks depth. Netflix while has uneven programming has/had shows which are pretty good and break new ground(IMO). Queen's Gambit, Dragon Prince, Arcana etc are pretty good. They have also wasted money on the whole witcher show and their "original" movies are by and large meh.
arwineap 4y ago
> Also, shout out to Disney for actually making it easy to restart a show from the beginning. I don't understand how Netflix has dropped so much money into children's programming without doing any sort of user testing to find out that kids generally like watching the same shows again. I'm baffled at how much of a pain this is. Don't show him more stuff, he very clearly wants to watch what he's chosen; yes again, what do you want from me?

muglug 4y ago

Content is king. Once the big studios started pulling their stuff from Netflix in favour of their own streaming platforms, the writing was on the wall. Netflix doesn’t have the breadth of monetisable IP that the mouse has. The latest season of The Crown is basically scraping the barrel of royal family drama. Stranger Things has a season or two left. If I had Netflix stock I’d sell.

PuppyTailWags 4y ago
I'm surprised by this because Netflix has Heartstopper & Neil Gaiman's Sandman. They've also canceled a bunch of stuff that could come back really strong, Sense8 comes to mind.
- JDazzle 4y ago
  Sure, yes, but Heartstopper was a risk and Sandman, one of the more bankable IPs, was kept in limbo for a new season until the last few weeks for fear that not many people would want to watch it (probably an indicator in and of itself as to why all their original shows were cancelled)
  - tjakab 4y ago
    Realistically the second season of Sandman and final season of Stranger Things probably won't materialize until 2024 given how long they take to produce.
- lumost 4y ago
  I recall reading that Netflix intentionally capped the production of successful shows to avoid overpaying for actors. Actor contracts apparently have predetermined rates for 3-4 seasons, and then must be renegotiated. For a successful show the actors can have immense leverage (see Seinfeld). Netflix thought they we being smart by doing this, but they may have simply upped their content risk and simultaneously convinced top talent to work with other streamers.
  - 4y ago

unstatusthequo 4y ago

How many are “free” via Verizon?

longcommonname 4y ago

Disney is primarily an entertainment company and focuses on users enjoyment. Netflix is now an ad/ tech company.

kcb 4y ago
I would be pretty confident Disney makes far more money from advertising even as a percent of revenue than Netflix.
22c 4y ago
longcommon's law? Any sufficiently advanced digital media outlet is indistinguishable from an AdTech company.

stormbrew 4y ago

In Canada Disney+ is where most of the stuff on Hulu or FX eventually ends up, among some other things, and at this point I think it's actually probably the streaming service with the deepest library because of that, which is kind of funny. It's probably the one I'd be least likely to drop, while Netflix has been on the verge a few times now.

hemloc_io 4y ago

Here's a question I've had and maybe someone from HN can answer it. The (movie) streaming wars have content as a differentiator in the market, but it doesn't seem like Spotify/Apple music is effected. Assuming both the RIAA and MPAA members both don't care about consumer complaints that much, why do record companies not start their own streaming services? I assume it's easier than making a movie streaming service, and it's basically the same business model right? Why aren't we reading these headlines about Top Dawg vs Spotify instead of Disney vs Netflix.

version_five 4y ago
The streaming services only work if they are "better" than just downloading the content for free. My guess is that music has a much lower barrier, both in terms of availability and in people's tolerance to listen only to parts of a catalogue divided along record company lines, so if only 25% your top 40 (or 90s or whatever) was available on SONY Streaming, you'd just say fuck it and download it. Somehow, the video landscape has shaken out to have generalist (Netflix,maybe Amazon) and specialty content, not all that different from cable. So people are used to it that way. And come to think of it, radio generally plays music from all record companies, so there is a precedent there too. With more fragmentation, particularly with Netflix losing it's generalist position and having more self-produced crap, I suspect that downloading movies is going to become viable for more people
- adgjlsfhk1 4y ago
  I think a lot of the reason is length. With movies you get disappointed once per 2 hours of content if you don't find what you searched for. With songs, it's 10-20 times per hour.
colinmhayes 4y ago
I don't think people would use a music streaming service that doesn't have all the content they want. I think the record companies agreed to the streaming deal because they saw that piracy was a legitimate issue, and the business strategy probably just worked better than for film. $5 or $10 a month per user adds up to an acceptable amount of revenue for music labels + streaming services to split, but there's just more money in film so the price for a universal streamer would be bonkers and no one would pay. The content probably works better for film streamers too. If you have to change apps every time you finish a 3 minute song to listen to the next one you probably would look for a different solution, but film is a much longer commitment so switching services after watching is less of a hassle.

Victerius 4y ago

I'm one of them. I unsubscribed to Netflix and subscribed to Disney+. I don't watch a lot of shows, but I'm a huge fan of Star Wars, which Disney owns.

habibur 4y ago

News says all three Disney owned streaming services : Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu, when counted together, have about 1% more subscribers than Netflix. I thought Disney streaming service now has more paying customers than Netflix. Still not the case.

jahewson 4y ago

Note that Netflix has more paying customers.

ShockedUnicorn 4y ago

To be clear. Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu when _combined_ have more customers. It's important to note that Disney pushes hard for buying these 3 together as a package for a reduced price, therefore basically tripling some customer numbers.

walterclifford 4y ago
> therefore basically tripling some customer numbers Since the bundle includes ESPN+ we have an upper bound on how big that "some" can possibly be: 24.3 million according to https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/disney-plus-subscribers-164-million-1235426552/ https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/disney-plus-subscribers-164... The actual bundle numbers will be less than that of course, but without knowing how many people subscribe exclusively to ESPN+ (i.e. not as part of the bundle) we don't know by how much.
encryptluks2 4y ago
It is like $20/mo for all three vs $16/mo for just Netflix. It is a good deal that is hard to beat although I think they are going to start running ads on the $20/mo plan so who knows it it will be a good deal for much longer.

LarsDu88 4y ago

Disney has decades of experience with content that the whole family can enjoy. Netflix has a decade of experience with...AWS With Netflix you get a mixed bag of Stranger Things + stuff that most folks expect to be dropped after 2 seasons. When Netflix pivoted into content, they needed to get creatives and passionate people in charge rather than the tech-world PMs they ended up putting in charge. Disney might not be perfect, but for the MCU and Jon Favreau-adjacent Star Wars stuff, theres a distinct respect for story telling and characters that just totally missing from some of the high budget Netflix stuff. Properties like MillarWorld just have the soul sucked straight out of them in Netflix's hands

brookst 4y ago
> When Netflix pivoted into content, they needed to get creatives and passionate people in charge rather than the tech-world PMs they ended up putting in charge. Very, very true. Disney's magic is their strength as a content brand. Not just their core products; with ESPN you know exactly what it's going to be, from live sports to documentaries. Netflix made an amazing pivot from physical to digital distribution, and that will be studied in business schools forever. But they failed to pivot from digital distribution to content. They knew they needed to, they spent billions of dollars trying to, but they didn't understand that content has to be the primary brand identity. Distribution is an implementation detail.
- Izkata 4y ago
  > But they failed to pivot from digital distribution to content. There is a niche that no one fills, that I'm hoping Netflix shifts into: "Popular series was canceled? Let's pick it up and give it a final season!" They're doing it with Manifest right now. It was on NBC and canceled after 3 out of 5 planned seasons, and the creator was trying to figure out how he could finish the plot as a single movie, then Netflix bought it and gave him an entire 20 episodes to finish the plot - almost the entire two missing seasons. First half was just released a few days ago.
  - strgcmc 4y ago

alistairSH 4y ago

Not surprising, Disney (plus ESPN and HULU) is bundled with several cell phone plans in the US. I subscribe because it’s “free”. And Netflix continues its long slide into irrelevance. I’ve was a subscriber for many years, but cut it last month. Too much low-quality programming and it continually recommends shows I’ve watched previously and refuses to allow Apple to index it’s catalog so it appears in alongside other providers inside Apple TV.

thebigspacefuck 4y ago
Netflix is bundled with T-Mobile
- mikestew 4y ago
  ..and that subsidy is the only thing keeping my Netflix subscription alive. I'm sure not getting ROI at full price.
MBCook 4y ago
> and refuses to allow Apple to index it’s catalog so it appears in alongside other providers inside Apple TV. I hate this so much. I understand the idea. “We want you to come to Netflix for all your needs”. Makes sense from their perspective. But I’M the user. My Apple TV helps me keep track of everything I’m watching right now. New seasons of shows I watch pop-up so I know they are out. I don’t have to check 7 apps every few days to stay on top. But Netflix won’t participate. You know what happened to me? I forgot about it! Instead of constantly reminding me it exists by seeing it in my Up Next section (like Hulu, HBO, Disney+, etc) it’s buried under a pile of other content I’m constantly reminded about. Terrible user-hostile decisions. Just like hiding your queue of what you were watching last to promote The Floor Is Lava: Season 7: Back to School Adventures or whatever I wasn’t going to watch anyways.
- Infinitesimus 4y ago
  Netflix is naturally afraid of giving Apple, a trillion dollar competitor, access to their viewing data and help accelerate Apple's growth in the area.

TheBrokenRail 4y ago

Given just how important content is to streaming services and Netflix's reputation for canceling good shows, this doesn't seem that surprising to me. Especially since rather than focusing on content, Netflix is instead focusing on limiting password sharing, which was never going to give them good PR.

kmeisthax 4y ago

Caveat: Disney has three streaming services that they usually sell as a bundle, so if you buy the bundle they count you as three customers.

k__ 4y ago

I have the impression, Netflix lived past its prime some years ago. Back in 2010 it tried new things and was quite affordable. But it became a run of the mill cabel network, and not even a good one, many shows simply dissapear all the time.

maverickmax90 4y ago

Disney.. Terrible ux though ....can't match Netflix slick interactions

duxup 4y ago

How many of these viewers are free with some bundle, cell service or etc?

keewee7 4y ago

Why haven't any of the big streaming services tried bundling sports streaming?

izacus 4y ago
Because they're not allowed to due to exclusivity deals. Disney can just buy out content from competing services and HN will cheer them on with how amazing they are when they prevented other services from streaming the same content.
systemicdanna 4y ago
Not sure if sarcasm… Disney bundles Disney+/Hulu/ESPN.

nightski 4y ago

Is there any concrete evidence they are in a battle? How many households have both? I know Verizon includes the Disney bundle for free. Netflix just launched it's ad supported plan as well. Lots of things are in flux right now.

systemicdanna 4y ago
Anecdotally: not in a battle. I have unsubscribed from Netflix last year and got Disney+/Hulu for free. So these services are not fighting for my money!
- brewdad 4y ago
  Same. Although we resubbed to Netflix after going without it for 3 or 4 months. Netflix has juuuuuust enough content to keep my wife interested. I could go without it and wouldn't miss much. For as little TV she watches though, having "her" shows available when she does want to watch means we keep paying.
  - systemicdanna 4y ago
    For me it wasn't just about money, I really disliked the process of going to Netflix and browsing their trash piles for 40 minutes before deciding to give up and go to bed.

dools 4y ago

Maybe Disney needs to do an original series called “Netflix” about the last Netflix subscriber on earth

kypro 4y ago

I know it's not Disney / Netflix, but am I the only one surprised by how good and unappreciated Prime Video is? I find there's some good stuff on there and it's all bundled in with my Prime subscription so as a long-term Prime subscriber I feel like I basically get it for free. The Boys is amazing for example, probably the best superhero show I've ever watched. Amazon Music got a nice upgrade recently as well with more albums included with the standard Prime subscription.

systemicdanna 4y ago
I can’t name a single other great show from Prime. It’s just the Boys.
- somewhat_drunk 4y ago
  The Expanse.
  - systemicdanna 4y ago
    I mean… they just bought it recently, the show is not really Prime’s accomplishment. Kudos to Amazon for letting the show film its final season though!
- codyjones 4y ago
  I liked Tales from the Loop and A Very English / Very British Scandal. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel wasn't my cup of tea, but it seemed well done.
Terretta 4y ago
> am I the only one surprised by how good Prime Video is? It's usually an expression, but you may, in fact, be the only one. Prime is the UHF of streaming platforms carrying the WTBS catalog of content. It's free, towards the end of the dial, and almost all re-runs with the occasional trophy showpiece.
tedunangst 4y ago
Not alone, but I'm kinda amazed how many people discount all the good prime originals that are available.

jurassic 4y ago

I saw somebody describe Netflix as a library of unfinished books. That sums up my feelings about the platform well. I don't bother, because I don't like to get invested in things that are very likely to be cancelled.

wnoise 4y ago

Counting the three services its content is distributed over, which almost certainly counts people subscribing to multiple services as multiple people.

deleted 4y ago

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marwatk 4y ago

I don't think they were able to "become HBO faster than HBO can become us"[1] and now they're paying the price. They have effectively zero moat with their own IP and now they're competing with everyone else for the same creative talent without an ability to separate the wheat from the chaff resulting in quality all over the map. 1: https://www.gq.com/story/netflix-founder-reed-hastings-house-of-cards-arrested-development?currentPage=1 https://www.gq.com/story/netflix-founder-reed-hastings-house...

deleted 4y ago

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billfruit 4y ago

Disney numbers may be larger due to budling with mobile subscription plans in several large countries, including India(where numbers are likely very large). Also Disney bundles in live sports coverage in some countries.

dumpsterdiver 4y ago

While I'm still a big fan of Disney+, lately I feel like they're watering down some of their brands (such as Star Wars) by pushing out low-effort storylines coupled with rehashed digital assets. For instance, the animation in the new "Tales of the Jedi" show that was released recently looks very similar to the animated Star Wars shows released 15 years ago. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the animation and storylines in "Star Wars: Visions", so it's not exactly like they're sinking the ship or anything.

bluefirebrand 4y ago
I strongly recommend going back and watching some of the 15 years ago Clone Wars to re-asses that observation. I'm rewatching it now and the difference is stark. Yes, the art style is similar. The animation quality isn't remotely close. The environments aren't remotely close. Clone Wars environments, especially the outdoor ones, are extremely bland and repetitive.
- dumpsterdiver 4y ago
  > I strongly recommend going back and watching some of the 15 years ago Clone Wars to re-asses that observation Clone Wars was exactly what I was referring to, and upon your recommendation I did a side-by-side comparison, and you're definitely right about the quality. The general rendering quality (especially the environments) have not only improved from a technical standpoint, but it's also clear that more care has been put into the work. I guess my only complaint is the reuse of the style from the Clone Wars series. To play devil's advocate to myself, I didn't really follow Clone Wars. I was only aware of it. I can imagine that long time fans would be happy to see the style continue. Edit: typo

mensetmanusman 4y ago

Netflix should pivot back to physical distribution so that they can list absolutely everything on their catalogue again. Two hour drone shipping! :)

kajaktum 4y ago

I've not watched a single Netflix show the past half year and possibly more. I've only glanced over them as I walk by the living room when my family members are watching them. There's really nothing that interesting in these streaming platforms anymore.

jimmydddd 4y ago

I've never had any desire to sign up for Disney or Netflix. After reading the comments I feel like an extreme outlier? :-)

dontbenebby 4y ago

Tempest1981 4y ago

I know Verizon has been pushing "6 months free of Disney" really hard. I wonder if that's a factor in these numbers? Edit: discussed here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33526360 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33526360

Mikeb85 4y ago

Honestly Disney has it's own classics, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, National Geographic... That alone means I can't unsubscribe, even if I generally like Netflix better. And I'm sure lots of people feel the same way.

prirun 4y ago

Not such a great business though: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-11-08/disney-earnings-fourth-quarter-streaming-loses-1-5-billion-hulu-espn-chapek https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/20...

Ptchd 4y ago

Because people want to keep their kids glued to the "TV"

Watchwatcher 4y ago

Disney has recently blocked Linux users so they are currently dead to me.

brnt 4y ago
Thanks for letting me know. It's hard to figure out which services support Linux; usually they don't mention it, despite the browser being a so-called OS indepedent platform.
- Watchwatcher 4y ago
  You can bypass it with a user agent extension. Change it to chrome on windows. There's no tech reason for the block, just crapy devs at a crappy company.

therobot24 4y ago

kids man it's the point of your life where disposable income is easily spent to make them happy and you look at products not with respect to shelf life, but with respect to how much the kid will _actually_ enjoy them even if for only a brief time subscriptions to disney+ are a 'no brainer', the content is there, _something_ will fit the bill without you even having to do the mental analysis