Disney+ Officially Launches in the UK and Other European Countries
Disney+ today officially launched in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, and Austria.
The premium streaming service is accessible via web browser, on Amazon Fire devices, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV (4K or HD), iOS devices, Android, Google Chromecast, Xbox One, PS4, smart TVs from LG, Sony, Samsung, and Vizio. You can download the iPhone and iPad apps here.
The subscription price in the U.K. and across Europe is £5.99/€6.99 per month, or £59.99/€69.99 for an annual subscription.
Over 500 feature films and over 7,500 shows are available on the service including new original content like the critically acclaimed “The Mandalorian” and “The World According To Jeff Goldblum,” along with timeless classics like “Lady and the Tramp,” “Star Wars,” and the entire Pixar library.
Disney+ has been available in the U.S. for a while now, but subscribers should note that there will be some content differences in the European offering because of licensing issues.
Due to the anticipated high load on the continent’s broadband infrastructure because of a surge in remote working, Dinsey+ is following other digital video services by streaming at an intentionally lowered bitrate, so picture quality won’t be as good as some viewers will be expecting.
It’s unclear how long Disney intends to limit video quality, but Netflix said last Thursday that it plans to implement similar measures for 30 days, following a request from the European Union.
The launch of Disney+ has been delayed in France by two weeks on request of the French government – Disney+ will now launch in the country the week of April 7.
Disney says the service will launch later this summer in additional Western Europe markets, including Belgium, the Nordics, and Portugal. Disney+ has been available in the Netherlands since September, when it launched there as a pilot trial.
