Disney Plus just made Hulu subscribers’ lives easier

Hulu and Disney+ are one step closer to becoming a unified app as a beta offering directs Disney+ users to Hulu programming.

The merger of Hulu and Disney+ is swiftly approaching, and now the line between the two separate paps has been blurred even further.

We’ve known the apps would be merging since May when Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the long-separate Hulu app would be merged with Disney+ by 2024.

Today some users are finding the merger has already begun, as Hulu properties begin popping up in Disney+ at long last.

Disney+ adds Hulu in beta offering, beginning app merger

Originally reported by THR, Disney+ has added a new Hulu tile to its homepage. The tile directs users to Hulu programming, marking the first time Hulu programming has appeared on the Disney+ app.

Currently, the Hulu tile is not a wide release. It’s available to existing Hulu subscribers, assuming their Hulu and Disney+ accounts use the same e-mail.

As THR notes, this doesn’t impact existing subscriptions yet, either. Users paying for ad-free Disney+ won’t automatically be opted into an ad-free Hulu, for example.

The merger has been a long time coming. Hulu, which launched as a free web streaming service in 2007, is owned by The Walt Disney Company and has operated so far as a separate service focused on streaming television programs. This includes network programming like Family Guy and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, alongside original shows, such as Only Murders in the Building and Letterkenny.

The merger follows a massive $8 billion buyout of Comcast’s stake in the Hulu service, opening the door for Disney to take full control of Hulu. The announced merger of Disney+ and Hulu is designed to streamline the subscription process for users and offer more viewing options. It’s also another step towards maximizing the service’s advertising power.

The full merger of the apps remains targeted for March 2024. Users can still subscribe to Hulu and Disney+ independently as of this writing.

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