INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — Move over Netflix, you've now got some serious competition. In the next 12 months, six new streaming services will be attempting to steal away Netflix's 151 million subscribers.
The streaming contenders looking at their shot at the title in the coming days and months include Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max, NBCUniversal's Peacock, AT&T TV and Discovery/BBC.
Netflix is already starting to feel the pressure: the company did not meet new subscriber expectations in the second and third quarters of 2019. Of course, Netflix is still operating from a position of strength. In a letter to shareholders, the company said while new streaming services have good titles, none can offer all that Netflix can.
"While the new competitors have some great titles (especially catalog titles), none have the variety, diversity and quality of new original programming that we are producing around the world."
-Netflix
Netflix's two biggest competitors look to be Apple TV+, which debuts Friday, and Disney+ , which launches Nov. 12.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ has been heavily promoting its original programming, with star-driven dramas like "The Morning Show" starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, "See" with Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard, and a reboot of Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories" from the 1980s.
Also part of Apple TV+'s $6 billion worth of video content are Oprah Winfrey's documentaries and James Corden's "Carpool Karaoke: The Series." There are also offerings on their menu from visionary directors J.J. Abrams and M. Night Shyamalan.
That's a heck of a lot of entertainment from just $5 per month, which is $2 cheaper than Disney+ and well below Netflix's $13 per month standard plan.
The other upside is you don't need to have an Apple TV device to watch Apple TV+ content. Apple has made deals with Amazon Fire TV, LG, Roku, Sony, Vizio and Samsung to get Apple TV+ through their apps.
If you buy a new iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV or Mac computer, Apple is offering free Apple TV+ for a year.
Disney+
There are still almost two weeks until the unveiling of Disney+, but Disney has already released lots of details about the new platform.
With 10 original movies and 25 new series like "The Mandalorian" and three "Avengers" spinoffs, Disney+ isn't lacking on shiny new toys. But let's face it, it's the huge catalog of decades of content that will have you gladly parting with your $7 each month, or $70/year if you're not afraid of commitment.
The streaming service will have classic Disney animated films, the Pixar movies our kids can't get enough of, the billion-dollar box office Marvel Studios collection, and — for true sci-fi nerds — all of the Star Wars movies.
But that's far from everything. Thanks to Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox, Disney+ will also have every episode of "The Simpsons" and "Empire," as well as blockbuster movies like "Avatar," "Deadpool" and "X-Men."
You'll also be able to download Disney+ movies and TV shows directly to your devices, where they will live forever, as long as you're are a subscriber to Disney+. If you want live content, Disney has also announced a bundle plan that will get you Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu+, all for $13 a month.
Verizon customers with unlimited data plans will also get the perk of getting free access to Disney+ for one year.
A roundup of the rest
The other streaming services planning to rollout in the coming months may not have the power of Apple and Disney, but they're no slouches.
Coming this spring, HBO Max wants to be there for you. That's why it has grabbed the exclusive streaming rights of "Friends" away from Netflix. For a price that's expected to be between $15 and $18 per month per month, HBO Max will also have content from Cartoon Network, CNN, DC Entertainment, TBS, TNT, The CW and Turner Classic Movies. Along with "Friends," HBO Max will also have every episode of "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air."
In April of 2020, NBC will show off its pride with the Peacock streaming service. Insiders claim this will be a free service (if you don't mind a few ads popping up here or there) or you can pay a small monthly fee if you can't stomach commercials.
NBC sitcoms like "Cheers" and "Parks and Recreation" will be yours to stream, and "The Office" will be available in 2021 when its deal expires with Netflix. Peacock will also have original programming like reboots from "Punky Brewster" and "Battlestar Galactica." There will also be movies available from other NBCUniversal entities like Universal and DreamWorks Animation.
For those who want some education with your entertainment, Discovery is joining forces with the BBC to offer a streaming service somewhere in the ballpark of $5 per month, debuting at some point in 2020. Visually stunning favorites like "Planet Earth" and "Blue Planet" will be found on the streaming service, which has yet to be named. The platform will also show Discovery's history shows and documentary programming. As soon as the BBC's current programming deals expire with Netflix, they will live here as well.
In 2018, Netflix posted $16 billion in revenues. As 2019 comes to a close, it looks like entertainment providers are done dumping their content into Netflix and letting the streaming giant reap a large portion of the rewards. More and more companies want their direct cut of your steaming dollars. Over the next year, you'll get to decide which ones have earned your business.