Disney Kids Cable Channels Unified In ‘DisneyNOW’ App

Disney have announced that they will be consolidating their Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior Watch Apps into one app, DisneyNOW, which is available today, that upgrades the user experience with customizable and personalized functionality.
The unified app will continue to offer access to full episodes and live streaming of Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD when viewers authenticate via their participating cable, satellite or digital programming distributor. Each network also offers a selection of full episodes to fans without signing in.

DisneyNOW is available on iOS, tvOS, Android/Kindle and Roku. Fire TV, Android TV and the Web will launch in 2018.

Showcased last February during Disney Media Sales’ presentation to clients, the DisneyNOW app is designed to satisfy viewers’ demand for more content, easier access, more control, including Disney Junior Only Mode, and more “Disney magic,” including personalization that’s so crucial for kids – all in one app. Customized sponsorship opportunities offer clients a variety of ways, including sweepstakes and interactive video advertisements, to engage with consumers. Disney Channel launched its suite of Apps (branded WATCH) in 2012 and was the first entertainment network to launch products that provide pay TV subscribers access to live, linear network streams as well as on-demand episodes.

Kimberly Hicks, vice president, Digital Media, Disney Channels, said, “The decision to consolidate our Disney Channel ‘Watch’ apps into the new DisneyNOW app was driven by what kids told us they want in a video experience. The upgraded app enables us to showcase great stories and characters, and bring the magic of Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior to their daily lives.”

DisneyNOW invites each family member to create a profile and express themselves with a Disney Emoji avatar – a selection of more than 180 heritage and new character poses at launch. On return visits, users can select their profile to resume watching where they left off or watch new episodes of their favorite shows.

The new app will also include more than 60 games and activities including “DuckTales” adventure game “Duckburg Quest,” Princess Elena of Avalor in “Flight of the Jaquins” or the Villain Kids in the “Descendants 2 Wicked Style” activity. New games will be added to DisneyNOW every month.

DisneyNOW will deliver in-season stacking for current series including Disney Channel’s “Andi Mack,” “Raven’s Home,” “Bizaardvark,” “Stuck in the Middle,” “Tangled: The Series”; Disney Junior’s “Vampirina,” “Elena of Avalor,” “Mickey and the Roadster Racers,” “The Lion Guard,” “Puppy Dog Pals” and “PJ Masks”; and Disney XD’s “DuckTales,” “Star Wars Rebels,” “Walk the Prank,” “MECH-X4” and “Milo Murphy’s Law.”

DisneyNOW will also feature Disney Channel Original Movies – curated from over 100 titles – and the first presentation of some of the most anticipated programming including (available now or on the date specified below):

  • Disney Channel’s pre-linear premiere of “The Scariest Story Ever: A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular”
  • Celebration of the 10th anniversary of “Wizards of Waverly Place” with all episodes and “Wizard of Waverly Place: The Movie” (October 12)
  • All season one episodes of “Andi Mack” (now) and its second season premiere episode (October 27)
  • The first episode of season two of “Elena of Avalor” (October 14)
  • New episodes of Disney Junior’s “Mickey and the Roadster Racers” and “Puppy Dog Pals”
  • New “Disney Junior Nursery Rhymes”
  • Series premiere of Disney Junior’s “Vampirina”(October 1)
  • New episodes of Disney Junior’s “Mission Force One,” the new chapter of “Miles from Tomorrowland” (October 16)
  • “Star Wars Rebels” seasons 1-3
  • Radio Disney’s musical performances and in-studio appearances by recording artists Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello, among others
  • “Collections” – themed programming beginning with Halloween episodes of “Austin & Ally,” “BUNK’D,” “Doc McStuffins,” “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “Phineas and Ferb” and “Gravity Falls”.

My Take: – As Disney continue to push forward with one streaming platform in the future, merging their different apps together is a good idea.  First it means that they don’t have to run and update three seperate apps and also users can just focus on the one app.  Plus it gets users used to one unified app, ahead of the launch of the full streaming service.

Could DisneyNOW be the name for the full service?

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