Disney and Apple are making a lot of noise as they prepare to jump into the streaming wars. So should Netflix be worried?
Maybe not.
A recent survey of 400 Americans conducted by HighSpeedInternet.com found that 60 percent of the participants said they would keep Netflix over Disney+ if they had to choose between the two.
And in a separate survey of Netflix subscribers, Piper Jaffray, an investment bank and financial services company, found that 75 percent of those polled do not intend to subscribe to either Disney+ or Apple TV+.
Apple TV+ is set to debut on Nov. 1 and Disney+ will roll out on Nov. 12.
The HighSpeedInternet survey also found that 69 percent of those polled say they think content is more important than price when it comes to streaming services.
Netflix shares have plunged in recent months, as concerns about slowing subscriber growth have combined with investors fearing that the Los Gatos-based company will face stiffer competition as more rivals start streaming. While Apple and Disney proceed with their plans this fall, WarnerMedia’s streaming service — HBO Max — is scheduled to debut next spring, and Comcast’s NBCUniversal plans to have a streaming service up and running in the first quarter of 2020.
Not only do these new streaming services represent more alternatives for consumers, they’re stripping some high-profile assets from Netflix. The hugely popular sitcom “Friends,” for example, will move to HBO Max in 2020, and “The Office” will shift to NBC’s service in 2021. And in the near future you won’t be able to find shows and movies from Disney and its various branches (Marvel, Pixar, “Star Wars” and more) on Netflix.
