THE AVION
B4 Technology
Disney+: Is Baby Yoda Enough to Dominate the Streaming Battle?
Nick is a graduate student in the Research in User eXperience (RUX) Lab in the Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology. RUX investigates the usability and user experience of technology in our everyday world. This is a regular column that explores different technologies typically used by Embry-Riddle students. Nicholas Reuss Graduate Researcher Streaming services have become a part of our everyday lives, but how do we decide whether to try a new service when it comes out? We know what we like and are eager to try, but what contributes to positive user experience? Disney+ is one of the newer streaming services released on Nov. 12 of last year. How have things shaped up after its first three months? To figure out that answer, the RUX lab conducted a focus group and one-onone interviews to figure out what viewers think of the service. We asked a variety of questions trying to understand how people use it, where they watch it, how much they watch it, and of course, what they watch. What exactly is Disney+? Disney+ has pulled together years of footage ranging from 1934 (The Miracle On 34th Street) to films made around the end of 2019 (Avengers: End Game). Additionally, the service feature original shows and movies. Disney+ includes content from most of the other subsidiaries they own, including Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic, and Star Wars. With a range from classic films to old and new cartoons, there are a variety of options available to streamers. Disney+ also currently has 19 exclusive "originals" displayed on their home screen, which includes their most recognized exclusive "The Mandalorian," which now has all episodes available.
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Disney + homepage
What do Viewers Think? So what did our focus group and interviews reveal about Disney+? Most students said that they were using either a family member or a friend’s account and that they didn’t want to pay for the account themselves. Students were willing to try the service if their parents would pay for it. Parents of these students said that the bundling options were the big reason why they signed up for the account. Verizon and Hulu both offered promotions for the service, which encouraged them to sign up. Hulu's bundle offered Disney+ and ESPN streaming for 12.99 a month while Verizon provided its customers with a free year of the Disney+ service. When asked about their usage, students reported using the account several times a week for at
least 2-3 hours each time while their parents tended to spend less time on the platform watching a movie once or twice a week. One thing several students mentioned was that they’ve found themselves returning less and less over time. When asked why they said it was because they still wanted to watch content from other streaming services and Disney+ lacked unique content. Exclusive content, like Netflix Originals such as "Stranger Things," is one of the things that compete with Disney+. Students reported that Disney+ doesn't have enough exclusive content. "The Mandalorian" is an example of one of Disney+'s newest original shows, but has already finished its first season. Students enjoy all of the nostalgic content on Disney+ from their childhood. However, it has been reported hat there are a lot of other shows from other services that compete for their time. With a limited interest in the other exclusives, it seems to most that Disney+ is in a lull for new, original content. How can Disney + improve?
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Quick Comparison Table
Strengths and Weaknesses of Disney +
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We asked students how Disney+ could improve their service. In addition to more content, the overwhelming response from students was to add their favorite aspects of other services such as the "Are you still watching?" feature, which is the pop-up message that comes up after a few episodes of inactivity. Also, better recommendation algorithms, which give you ideas for what to watch next based on what you've already seen. Also, they recommend improved search functionality to make it easier to find shows of interest. All of these features are available on competing services like Netflix and Hulu. The overall usability of the
service has regularly been changing since its release. According to students, the service has gotten better over time. To be more competitive with other streaming services, students recommended that: • • • •
All Disney content available ABC and ESPN content added More Disney exclusive content Remakes or spinoffs of shows like The Suite Life of ZacK and Cody, Indiana Jones, and Marvel shows • Shows exclusively made at Disney for Disney+ such as sneak peeks behind the inner workings of Disney or a Disney trivia show • “Unlocking” shows that show up on the service but aren’t available until a certain date • Releasing movies after they’ve been in theaters for a month Conclusion While students do enjoy Disney+ and its content, they realize the service is still relatively new. They like the nostalgia behind the service and enjoy viewing the content they grew up with but found that the service was lacking in many other areas. They want content from all of Disney's subsidiaries, including ABC and movies and shows that are currently unavailable on the service. In terms of usability, students wish to have better recommendations, a more convenient search tool, and features like "are you still watching?". Overall what they want is content unique to Disney. Whether that be remakes of favorite shows, spinoffs from classic Disney content, or brand new exclusives, originals are a big draw for students no matter what platform people are streaming. Maybe Baby Yoda can help make that happen!