Disney+ Offers 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos At No Extra Charge In Latest One-Up Of Netflix And Apple
With two months left to go until the launch of Disney's highly anticipated streaming platform Disney+, the only thing left is to weigh our options: Is it worth it to subscribe to a whole new streaming service? Well, Disney is certainly making a good case for it, with the impressive slew of original TV shows and movies coming to Disney+, as well as a surprisingly low price for the amount of content we're about to get.
But new Disney+ details revealed about the service's video quality and bonus features make a Disney+ subscription even more enticing, even as they seem like outright assaults on the currently reigning streaming giant that is Netflix.
Disney is certainly gunning for Netflix's throne, not just in its eerily similar display, as pointed out by journalist and /Film contributor Eric Vespe, but in its offerings of 4K, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos formats. These premium streaming formats are sure to appeal to movie lovers, with content available for no extra charge in resolutions up to 4K, with Dolby Atmos object-based sound and high dynamic range (HDR) support. According to Forbes, Disney+ is also offering support for the premium Dolby Vision HDR format, if you have the requisite hardware, with enhanced color mastering and extra picture-boosting scene by scene image data.
Stopped into a Disney+ demo. It's so similar in build to Netlfix. I asked the rep about UHD and he said there were definitely titles that stream in UHD and Dolby Atmos. No upcharge. pic.twitter.com/BnvWg1ILTb
— Eric Vespe (@EricVespe) August 24, 2019
Disney's offering of these high-quality streaming formats seem like it targets Netflix and Apple TV's streaming platforms. Netflix and Apple TV both also support 4K, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, but Netflix charges extra for these streaming quality boosts. Netflix currently charges $16 a month for its 4K, multi-screen service, while Apple hasn't currently announced its pricing tiers. Meanwhile, Disney stays within its standard $6.99 a month/$70 annual subscription price.
Disney also offers the option to watch up to four screens at the same time and can register up to 10 devices total, with each Disney+ account able to hold up to seven profiles with their own recommendations and watch lists. Kids under age 7 will also get a different interface. A report by Cord Cutters News also claims that the $13 per month bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ will have stricter stream limits, with Hulu allowing only a single stream and ESPN+ only two instead of five. As for offline viewing, Disney+ won't limit how many movies and shows you can download, Engadget reports.
Vespe also reports that the Disney+ demo is integrating bonus features for some titles, "including deleted scenes, documentaries and commentaries." This is another potential draw for cinephiles eager for a greater all-around movie-watching experience.
It's all quite enticing stuff, and positions Disney+ as the next big streaming platform, months before its launch. Your move, Netflix.
We'll see if it all pays off when Disney+ launches November 12, 2019.