Update: The Disney+ app seems to have popped up again on Samsung smart TVs – at least in the Netherlands – as seen in the image gallery below the original story. 4K, HDR, and Dolby Digital are still unsupported.
Original story follows
The Walt Disney Company's upcoming video-on-demand streaming service Disney+ is set to debut in a handful of markets next week, and when it does, it will be accessible on various TV brands including Samsung, confirmed CEO Bob Iger earlier this week.
Disney+ has already been tested on Samsung TVs in the Netherlands ahead of a more widespread release, and according to Disney CEO Bob Iger, “it was well-received by users” in various demographics.
Indeed, for a few days, the Disney+ app showed up on the Q9FN smart TV owned by our colleague Henk in the Netherlands, as you can tell from the image above. However, the app was pulled after a few days. We assumed that the premature release was an error and not a test, as the app seemed fairly incomplete. It lacked support for 4K video, HDR, and Dolby Digital 5.1. We now suspect that at least some of these features will be available at launch.
Disney+ reaching a Samsung smart TV near you on November 12
Disney+ will first launch on November 12 in the USA, Canada, and the Netherlands. It's unclear whether all of Samsung's smart TVs will support the streaming service or if it will be limited to newer models. Netflix, for example, is going to stop supporting older Samsung smart TVs next year due to “technical limitations.”
Disney+ will continue expanding into other markets including Australia and New Zealand on November 19. It will then launch in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on March 21, 2020.
The video-on-demand streaming service will be available in the United States and Canda for $6.99 and CAD 8.99 a month, respectively. The service will cost EUR 6.99 a month in the Netherlands.
