Hulu has announced a new major deal with Walt Disney Studios that gives the company exclusive streaming rights to dozens of Disney titles. According to Hulu, this is the first time it has struck a licensing deal for Disney’s ‘theatrical features,’ the likes of which include Mulan, Sister Act, Pocahontas, and more. More than fifty of the titles covered by this deal will stream on Hulu for the first time.
Hulu has taken a page from Netflix's book and added individual user profiles, making it easier for everyone in a household to maintain their personalized content. Once created, each user profile shows the last episodes that user watched, where they left off, and recommendations based on their watching habits. Up to six profiles are supported, and setting them up is as simple as a few clicks.
Hulu has announced that it now supports 4K streaming, just a couple of days after the same announcement came from YouTube. 4K streaming is available today to all Hulu subscribers, but it seems that you'll be limited in what and how you can watch for the time being. In short: if you don't like Hulu's original series or James Bond movies, there isn't much for you to watch in 4K yet.
Hulu is working on a live television streaming service, something we've known for a while, and it'll be offering it long after a few competitors have launched their own similar products: Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and starting tomorrow, DirecTV NOW. Though it's moving more slowly, Hulu may also be best poised to dominate the live streaming television market, as it is in the unique position to offer the best of both worlds.
Hulu has been available in virtual reality for a while, depending of course on which headset you have. With the company’s latest Android app update, Daydream View owners can now watch Hulu content using their VR headset, getting the same experience that you get with, for example, the Samsung Gear VR. Hulu offers a bunch of content that works well in VR, such as ones recorded from the point of view of the subject, making you feel like you're the one who is paddling a kayak or skiing down a slope.
Earlier this week, Sony made a relatively quiet announcement: all of its Viacom channels would be disappearing from PlayStation Vue starting November 11. Subscribers still saw the channels in their guide when that date rolled around, but the show info was blank and you couldn't select them. Starting Saturday, subscribers were greeted with an on-screen message informing them about the channel removals, and many people are less than happy. Fortunately, there are some alternatives for streaming those now-missing shows.
Hulu is launching a TV service next year, and it’ll be offering content from 21st Century Fox and Walt Disney Company networks. Per a new agreement between Hulu and both companies, this upcoming TV service will offer programming and on-demand content from networks like FX, FXX and FXM, five ESPN networks, BTN, Fox Sports, National Geographic, and more. This follows a previous deal for Turner's roster of networks.
Many of Hulu’s biggest critics point toward its cost — you’re paying (were paying) $7.99/month to stream the ad-supported version of the platform, with the nearly ad-free version being more expensive. Perhaps to address those criticisms (or to just lure in more subscribers), Hulu has decided to lower the cost of its ad-supported plan, dropping it to a simple $6/month with an optional +$4 fee for getting rid of the commercials. As with all good things, though, there's a catch.
The recent superhero TV series Daredevil, Jessica Jones, et al, have become big hits for both Marvel and Netflix, but with the streaming giant sticking to a schedule of only two shows per year, the comics icon is pairing up with a rival service. Hulu will be getting a TV adaptation of Runaways, Marvel's team of super-powered teenagers, it has been revealed.
Hulu is ending its free service and will demand viewers cough up a monthly subscription to watch its streaming shows, though a deal with Yahoo may soften the blow somewhat. Since it launched in 2006, Hulu has offered both free, ad-supported viewing and paid subscriptions, though unusually the latter does not necessarily guarantee no commercials in your stream.
Yahoo is making a play for the increasing number of cord cutters out there, today announcing Yahoo View. The new service, which is live now in the US, is product of Yahoo becoming a preferred partner of Hulu, offering up a selection of Hulu's free TV shows and movies. On its own, that wouldn't be a very big announcement, as there are plenty of preferred Hulu partners out there, but in an effort to make itself stand out from the crowd, Yahoo View has tossed a certain degree of Tumblr integration into the mix.
While Netflix continues to bolster its original content lineup with new series, streaming video rival Hulu has announced it's working on a line of new original documentaries. Craig Erwich, Hulu's senior vice president of global content, revealed on Friday that the service will establish its Limelight Documentary Series with several exclusive documentaries focusing on little-known people and stories in the world of pop culture.
