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Disney vs Apple streaming wars, plus more tech news you need to know today
Here’s your daily tech digest, by way of the DGiT Daily newsletter, for Tuesday, August 20, 2019!
1.Disney Plus v Apple TV Plus: No contest, but what’s Amazon playing at?
Disney announced more yesterday about its global Disney Plus launch, along with compatible devices and platforms. (Actually, Disney is probably announcing a bunch of Disney Plus stuff this week as D23 kicks off, an event I’ve never reported on before.)
Anyway, the list of Disney Plus compatible devices is about as you might expect, with one key missing partner.
- The ins: Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, Android devices, Android TV, Chromecast, Desktop web browsers, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Roku streaming players, Roku TV.
- The out: Amazon Fire devices, including TV and tablet.
- So, Apple’s happy to get a cut of its competitor’s new service, Amazon is not. Amazon’s out.
- Why? We know Amazon and Disney have had various feuds over the years, with Amazon restricting sales of Disney and Marvel DVD titles, and Amazon did the same with Warner Bros. DVDs as well, related to Amazon wanting a bigger cut of sales.
- Back to Disney Plus, we don’t yet know which devices will have 4K HDR compatibility, Dolby Atmos, and so on.
Disney Plus pricing and availability worldwide was also released. We knew U.S. pricing and availability already — November 12th for $6.99 per month (or $69.99 paid annually) — but now we have even more info:
- “Disney Plus will launch in Canada and the Netherlands in tandem with the US on November 12th, priced at $8.99CAD per month (or $89.99 per year) and €6.99 per month (or €69.99 per year), respectively,” Disney announced in a press release. “The following week, Disney Plus will launch in Australia and New Zealand on November 19th, priced at $8.99AUD per month (or $89.99 per year) and $9.99NZD per month (or $99.99 per year), respectively.”
- Plus, Disney has already committed to offering a $12.99-per-month bundle including Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN+ in the U.S..
- Disney is expected to lose money as it spins up the new service at less-than-break-even pricing.
Meanwhile, new reports suggest Apple isn’t changing its premium philosophy with Apple TV+.
- Apple is, courtesy of Bloomberg reports, mulling launching at $9.99 per month, with a free trial period to start.
- That’s not a price that’s out of reach, on its own. But with almost all original new series, and nothing with existing IP to lure people in, Apple’s price looks like overcharging. Of course it also lets Disney Plus undercut it with arguably the greatest content library in the world.
- Bloomberg: “Apple’s initial slate of shows will include “The Morning Show,” Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories,” “See,” with Jason Momoa, “Truth Be Told,” with Octavia Spencer, and a documentary series about extravagant houses called “Home.””
- Apple’s paying the right big name crowd that average a home-run on bad days, and is committing $6 billion dollars according to reports, but it’s still a stretch.
- David Chen, who works at Amazon Prime Video, tweeted: “Hey Siri, what’s an untenable price for a new streaming service that’s launching with like 5 shows.” That sums it up.
- But Apple does have Amazon’s support, at least: Bloomberg says Apple TV+ will be available on Apple devices, along with Roku and Amazon Fire TV boxes, along with Samsung televisions.
Bonus: 9to5Mac reports Apple Arcade will retail for $4.99 per month, after a one-month free trial.
Also — In: sequels and remakes. Out: risk-taking — “The age of media corporation mega-mergers is robbing us of bolder, fresher storytelling” (Gizmodo).
2. Fearing data privacy issues, Google cuts some Android phone data for wireless carriers (Reuters).
3. Rumor: OnePlus 7T to go on sale October 15 (Android Authority).
4. realme 5 series announced: Quad rear cameras on a budget (Android Authority).
5. Supreme’s 3G ‘burner’ phone is built for hypebeasts (The Verge). No price, yet.
6. These are all the games coming to Google Stadia, including the just-announced Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy XV, Mortal Kombat 11, and more (Android Authority). (The event wasn’t worth your time if you missed it — lots of repeat game announcements, but Google doesn’t want Stadia to escape the headlines before the November launch.)
7. The multiple problems, and potential fixes, with the Boeing 737 MAX (WSJ).
8. Here’s how easy it can be to steal a car with keyless entry (Jalopnik).
9. San Francisco is home to the world’s oldest webcam. After 25 years, it’s being switched off (SF Gate).
10. Nothing wrong with duct-taped contraption stopped by cops on UK motorway (BoingBoing).
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