Hulu Is Going Global, Not Going Away
▼ Summary
– Disney is expanding Hulu internationally by replacing the Star hub on Disney Plus outside the US starting October 8th to build Hulu as a global brand.
– This move follows CEO Bob Iger’s announcement that Hulu will become Disney’s global general entertainment brand, replacing Star in international markets.
– Disney is preparing for a fully integrated unified app experience next year with ongoing product updates and design enhancements to the Disney Plus app.
– The app updates include a new navigation bar for Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN content, along with badge tags and improved personalized recommendations.
– Disney will introduce iOS widgets and mobile-exclusive features for a better mobile experience, with all updates rolling out before the unified app launch.
Hulu is preparing for a major global expansion as Disney transforms it into the company’s worldwide entertainment brand. Starting October 8th, Hulu will take over from Star, the existing Disney Plus content hub available outside the United States. This move represents a significant step toward creating a single, unified streaming app, which Disney plans to launch fully next year.
Recent speculation had suggested Hulu might disappear after merging completely with Disney Plus around 2026. However, Disney CEO Bob Iger informed investors in August that the Star section would be replaced internationally “in the fall,” confirming Hulu’s future as the corporation’s primary brand for general entertainment on a global scale. The company is positioning Hulu to become a household name for viewers around the world.
Disney explained in a recent statement that this rebranding is part of the groundwork for next year’s integrated app. Users will start noticing Hulu becoming more visible within the Disney Plus application as the company rolls out a series of ongoing product improvements. These updates will affect the homepage and other areas of the interface, introducing a range of design and navigation upgrades intended to create a more fluid and user-friendly experience.
The forthcoming design changes for the Disney Plus app include a new navigation bar with specific tabs for Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN content. Access to these sections will depend on each user’s subscription package. To help viewers quickly identify new and noteworthy programming, the platform will add prominent badge tags such as “Season Finale,” “New Series,” and “New Movie.” User profiles will also feature more prominently in the updated interface, and Disney has enhanced its recommendation algorithm to provide more accurate suggestions based on individual watching patterns.
On mobile devices, Disney is introducing iOS widgets that allow subscribers to jump directly into a show or movie with just one tap. The company has also promised additional “mobile-first and mobile-exclusive experiences” that will debut over the next year. While specific release dates for these features have not been announced, Disney aims to implement all updates before the launch of the completely unified Disney Plus application.
(Source: The Verge)
