Netflix loses more than a million subscribers to Disney+ over a month, claims US-based research

With the emergence of multiple OTT platforms in the markets, viewers are spoiled with choice for content. However, the biggest debate centers around the head-to-head competition between the newcomer, Disney+, and the seasoned veteran, Netflix.

The Disney+ logo

A recent report from the analytics firm Cowen & Co. estimates Netflix lost over 1.1 million subscribers to Disney+ with barely a month in the game. As per the survey, 21 per cent of the total respondents said they signed up for Disney Plus in November, suggesting the 24 million customer base exiting the month, Variety reported recently. The estimates come from the research team at Cowen &Co., based on a census-weighted survey of 2,500 US consumers conducted last month.

The estimate would exceed previous Wall Street forecasts, which projected over 20 million users by year-end. This number also includes Verizon’s offer of a free year of Disney+.

Walt Disney Co's streaming service Disney Plus, which made its debut in November, recorded 10 million sign-ups on its very first day, the report noted.

Commenting on the successful poaching of Disney Plus into Netflix user base, Fox News report said the numbers are a testimony that Disney’s content mix of Marvel, Star Wars movies, animated films, and new shows have worked well. The animated films include the Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast.

Disney+, which launched in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands on Tuesday, was hit with technical glitches that the company said were caused by higher-than-expected demand. The service costs $7 per month and features roughly 500 movies and 7,500 TV episodes from the company’s deep family entertainment catalogue as well as new programming.

(Also read - Baby Yoda takes over the internet: How Disney creates cultural icons against the backdrop of nostalgia)