Looks like folks with Fire TV devices will be able to watch Disney+ after all.
Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed the news on CNBC Thursday, announcing that the company had finally reached a distribution deal with Amazon. In October, rumor had it that unsettled advertising disputes would keep Disney’s upcoming streaming service off Fire TV, and Disney’s other apps like ABC, ESPN, and Disney Channel might be getting the boot soon too. According to a Wall Street Journal report at the time, Amazon had been pushing to sell “a substantial percentage” of ad space as part of the company’s initiative to secure additional revenue channels outside of its cloud service.
How the two megacorporations settled this disagreement remains unclear, as Iger did not go into the specifics about this new distribution deal on Thursday.
“I think people will be extremely pleased,” he said on CNBC. Along with Amazon, Disney also previously announced distribution deals with Apple, Samsung, LG, Google, and Microsoft.
Today’s been a great news day for Disney, and not just because the megacorporation’s put its beef with Amazon to rest: An earnings report earlier today revealed that spending on Disney+ has so far come in under budget while revenue from the company’s theme parks and its recent Lion King remake surpassed predictions for the quarter, according to a Reuters report.
The House of Mouse’s foray into the streaming wars is set to launch Tuesday in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands for $6.99 per month. Though it’s advertised as an ad-free service, earlier this week we learned that isn’t exactly correct. Certain subscribers of Disney+ will get a promotional offer for Starz after successfully signing up, a condition the network stipulated before handing back the rights to several Disney movies. But, now viewers can stream The Force Awakens on Disney+ on day one, which—depending on the Star Wars fan you ask—is worth it.
Let’s block ads! (Why?)
