Is Disney Plus on My Smart TV?

Disney Plus is an upcoming streaming app from the well-known Disney company. Invariably, the first thing that comes to mind when you think Disney are those classic cartoons that you’ve grown up on. Although it was quite a big deal back then, Disney has grown into something much bigger. It’s become one of the world’s largest corporations.

A few years back, Disney announced Disney Plus, an upcoming streaming service that’s set to release on November 12. The question is: will you be able to use it on your smart TV?

Why Get It?

Kids love Disney programs. They’re suitable for kids of all ages and even present an endless source of fun for adults, as well. Yes, with Disney Plus, you’ll gain access to Disney timeless classics that you can watch with your kids, with your friends, or on your own. So, it’s a cartoon channel, right? Well, truthfully, no. Although you’ll be able to catch The Simpsons (not a Disney classic) on it, there are huge amounts of interesting and relevant content available on Disney Plus, directly.

For instance, as you probably know, Disney owns the Star Wars franchise, the LEGO toys, the video games, not to mention the actual movies themselves. You may or may not like the new Star Wars movies, but they were massive box office hits. Star Wars movies are far from the only example here. There’s a wide variety of content available directly on Disney Plus.

But, at the risk of sounding like an infomercial, that isn’t all. The fact that Disney has gotten so big means that they’ve been buying out a lot of companies throughout the world. For instance, although a separate company from Disney, Hulu is under full Disney ownership. This means that you can expect some neat bundle packages with Disney Plus, as well as in-app integration. In fact, after the November 12 release, you’ll be able to get a $13/mo bundle that gives you access to ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney Plus!

So, clearly, there’s more to Disney Plus than just your timeless cartoon classics. Most likely, you’re already considering preordering your subscription. Hold your horses. Is your TV compatible with Disney Plus to begin with?

Will It Work on My Smart TV?

So, you’ve finally bought yourself a smart TV. Or maybe you’ve finally decided to use it in a ‘smart’ way, rather than just mindlessly shuffling through channels. You’ve found some interesting apps in your TV’s dedicated store and downloaded them. However, you can’t seem to find just about every streaming service app that you may want to get.

Well, this is a common thing when it comes to smart TV app compatibility issues. Not because the scientists have failed. But because the popularity race for streaming services is very much ongoing and it’s quite a bloody battle.

Up until a few weeks ago, the only thing we knew for certain was that Disney Plus would be available on the PlayStation 4 and Roku. As of recently, we’ve learned about all the platforms that Disney Plus will be launching on: Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iOS devices, Android devices, web browsers, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Yep, no Samsung, no VIZIO, no LG, no Sony, and no Spectre smart TVs. But, even more importantly, no Amazon Fire TV.

Amazon vs. Disney

Although Disney Plus won’t be available on the vast majority of smart TV devices (if not on any of them), the fact that the Amazon Fire TV won’t come with Disney Plus support may come as a bit of a shocker. If you’re wondering why, well, because the Amazon Fire TV is heading towards the very top of the streaming industry. Why would Disney care about the streaming industry? Well, because Disney Plus is their gateway into it and they’ve been paying a whole lot of attention in that area.

Disney is clearly trying to steer away from traditional television devices and television in general. The idea here is using a more modern, more advanced method of viewership – the television’s heir – the internet.

That being said, Android Fire TV is a prime example of the modern viewership method – it works with almost all smart TVs and offers a wide variety of popular streaming apps, such as Netflix, HBO, ESPN, etc. So, why not Disney Plus?

Well, apparently, Disney and Amazon are in some sort of a beef and have been for quite some time now. Amazon has been known to cause issues with Disney-related orders and nobody really knows where this quarrel originated. As a part of the great cold war between Amazon and Disney, Amazon has been deprived of its own Disney Plus dedicated app. This isn’t to say, however, that you can’t get Hulu on your Firestick, and Hulu is under Disney’s ownership. So maybe there’s a bigger agenda here?

Get a New Device or Be Patient

If you own a Samsung, Sony, Spectre, LG, or most other popular brands of smart TVs, you’re out of luck, as Disney Plus won’t be directly available on them. At the very least not on launch. However, you can always go with a Roku device to bridge the gap between your television set and the upcoming Disney’s app. Either way, you’ll either have to get a new device or simply remain patient.

What streaming device do you own? Are you considering buying a new one so that you can download the Disney Plus app? Feel free to discuss this or anything else in the comments section below.