Fresh off its Jimmy Kimmel suspension saga, Disney is giving its app a makeover. The Disney+ app will soon add a navigation bar and UX overhaul. The update also brings Hulu into the fold outside the US. After reportedly bleeding subscribers during the Kimmel saga, the company would surely welcome a renewed focus on its fictional epics.
The Disney+ homepage now has a new navigation bar at the top. “For You” is now the default landing tab. That’s where you’ll find personalized recommendations based on your viewing history. (Disney also updated its algorithm in hopes of serving up better suggestions.) The new nav bar also has dedicated tabs for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN content.
The vertical navigation bar (the existing one on the left side of the screen) now includes a live hub. Here, you’ll find live news, sports, events, and 24/7 streams.
As it prepares to fully integrate Hulu into Disney+, the company is making big changes for non-US users. On October 8, Hulu will replace Star as the app’s global entertainment brand. That’s where you find shows from ABC, FX and more. It also includes more mature content than its typical fare. American users won’t see any changes there. However, for everyone else, Star becomes Hulu next Wednesday.
The Disney+ app is also getting some love. iOS widgets are launching, providing a one-click entry point into the app’s content. The company says its mobile app will eventually host “mobile-first and mobile-exclusive experiences” to expand its reach. However, those are coming “in the year ahead.”
All of this follows the Jimmy Kimmel suspension that dominated headlines in late September. Disney-owned ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely on September 17, following pressure from officials in the Trump administration. That included FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who told the company, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” Disney, which recently wrapped up the anti-fascist epic Andor, chose the easy way.
The company changed its tune and reinstated Kimmel on September 22. Its official line was that it was the result of “thoughtful conversations with Jimmy.” However, the company reportedly lost 1.7 million Disney+ subscribers during that period, following widespread calls for a boycott.
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