New content on Disney+ and HBO Max leads to huge increase in app installs
The safest way to view a movie these days is to watch it streamed on your phone or tablet. And since this content is usually exclusive to the app that is streaming this content, it is helping apps like HBO Max and Disney+ generate large numbers of new downloads from the App Store and Google Play Store. Consumers who subscribe to HBO via AT&T or subscribe to one of AT&T's best wireless plans get HBO Max for free.
Disney Plus, HBO Max see strong growth in installs after debuting new content
HBO Max set a single day record for downloads of the app this past weekend thanks to the opening of "Wonder Woman 1984." Distributed by AT&T's Warner Brothers studio, the film made its way to select theaters. It also debuted on the HBO Max app leading 554,000 new subscribers to install it over the weekend. That includes a single-day record of 244,000 downloads on Sunday alone. According to Apptopia, HBO Max has a total of 12.6 million subscribers; the app is available in the U.S. only. Half of those who signed up to HBO Max directly from AT&T watched the new Wonder Woman film on the very day that it was released. U.S. theaters took in $16.7 million in ticket sales for the super hero film during the same weekend. HBO Max is $14.99 when you pay each month. Sign up for six months in advance and you'll pay $69.99 with a 20% discount.
Pixar's Soul received great reviews and is available to stream now on Disney+
Meanwhile, one of the other streamers that had a great year along with Netflix and Peacock was Disney+. With kids stuck at home, Disney+ had the content to keep them entertained along with their parents. Sensor Tower reports that 2.3 million new consumers globally downloaded the app over the Christmas holiday. That was a 28% hike over the increase in downloads that Disney+ recorded the previous weekend. Pixar's well-reviewed feature film "Soul" started streaming on Christmas Day. In theaters around the world, "Soul" took in
$7.6 million in revenue, a fraction of what it would have earned if we weren't in the middle of a global pandemic. On the other hand, Disney would not have added "Soul" to Disney+ so quickly and most likely the streaming app wouldn't have gained so many new users. Disney+, which launched in November 2019, already has 87 million global subscribers. Verizon's unlimited subscribers get a free year of the service.
Disney, known for grabbing the consumer by the wallet and holding on until all of the money is gone, has actually priced its streamer at an affordable price. For $6.99 per month (or $69.99 for the year), four devices can stream the service at the same time. For $12.99 monthly, a bundle is available with Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu.
On January 1st, one of the most popular streaming television shows will be jumping to HBO Max. "Friends" is leaving Netflix after HBO Max paid $425 million for the exclusive streaming rights to the comedy over the next decade.
NBCUniversal's Peacock, which has a healthy mixture of popular television shows and movies, debuted on July 15th and already has 26 million subscribers. There is a free ad-supported Peacock tier tier with limited programming. Peacock Premium is a paid tier that includes all programming (albeit with ads) that is free to Comcast subscribers. You can get a seven-day trial and when that expires, you'll pay $4.99 a month afterward to continue the service. For $9.99 a month, Peacock Premium Plus gives you everything on the Premium tier but without ads.
Starting January 1st, the first two seasons of "The Office" will be available to the free tier of Peacock while the Premium and Premium Plus tiers will stream every episode of the mockumentary. NBC paid $500 million for exclusive streaming rights to the show for the next five years.
All three streamers are chasing number one, which of course is Netflix. The latter has the advantage of starting its streaming service back in 2007. Globally, Netflix had 167 million global subscribers at the end of last year. If anyone is going to make Netflix sweat down the road, it could be Disney+.
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