Apple and Disney aren’t on board with Netflix-style binge-watching.
Adam Levy for The Motley Fool:
Netflix completely changed the way we consume television shows. Instead of waiting for a new episode every week, binge-watching three or four episodes or even an entire season of a series is now a weekly event in many homes… [But] Disney’s planning to release episodes for its Disney+ originals on a weekly schedule. Hulu, of which Disney owns a majority share and full operational control, releases three episodes to premiere a series before releasing new episodes weekly. Apple is considering the same release schedule for Apple TV+.
Releasing episodes over the course of a couple of months can help produce a more stable subscriber base. Prospective subscribers can’t just sign up, binge a season, and cancel until the next release. With any luck, Apple and Disney will have a steady pipeline of hit series that keeps subscribers discovering something new by the time the last series run ends. Limiting the availability of new episodes also encourages subscribers to explore what else is available on the services.
MacDailyNews Take: It also allows for a free trial period for both Disney+ and Apple TV+ where entire seasons of TV series cannot be consumed within the trial period for free.