New Disney+ details: 4 simultaneous streams, 7 profiles, free 4K and HDR — all at no extra cost

Disney’s upcoming video service looks to be a far better deal than many (all?) of the existing services because its base $7 per month subscription has been confirmed to include such perks as up to four simultaneous video streams, the ability to manage up to seven user profiles on a single account, as well as 4K resolution and HDR color — all at no extra cost whatsoever.

According to interviews with executives at the Mickey Mouse house, which CNET conducted at Disney’s biennial convention, the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, and according to private live demos given to select members of the press, customers can expect the following perks when Disney+ starts streaming November 12 in the US, Canada and The Netherlands:

  • Weekly episodes: Disney will release new episodes of its original series weekly rather than dropping an entire season at once, extending their shelf life vs. binging.
  • Simultaneous streaming: A single account will be able to stream across up to four different devices simultaneously, like your phone, tablet, computer and game console.
  • Seven accounts: Customers will be able to manage up to seven user profiles on a single account, with each getting their own play history, recommendations and other personalized features.
  • 4K: Free streaming in 4K resolution.
  • HDR: HDR video will be supported at no extra cost.

All of the aforementioned perks will be apparently available at just seven bucks per month, or at a reduced annual price of $70 per year, making the upcoming service a significantly better deal than rival Netflix which recently jacked up prices and now starts at nine bucks per month for a standard definition plan (no 4K) with only one available stream.

To make their Netflix plan comparable in terms of features to Disney+’s $7 per month plan, Netflix fans will need to upgrade their subscription to a $16 per month plan (more than twice Disney’s asking price) just to get 4K streaming and four simultaneous streams. Netflix also offers a $13 per month plan that includes HD streaming and two simultaneous streams.

Netflix actually saw it US user base decrease last quarter, the first drop in domestic Netflix customers since 2011, due to their decision to raise prices, which proves that Disney+’s low price will be a major headache to Netflix and other streaming players.

The Verge has more:

Notably, Disney’s ESPN and Hulu bundle for Disney+ won’t have the same simultaneous streaming benefits. With the bundle, which will cost $12.99, subscribers will only get two simultaneous ESPN+ streams and one basic, ad-supported Hulu stream.

While Netflix has much more robust library than Disney+ right now, the Mickey Mouse house is bringing with it an incredibly rich archive of original movies, TV shows and animated movies, on top of the vaunted franchises they’ve acquired such as Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar.

A bunch of original shows and movies will be hitting the service, like a live-action Lady in the Tramp adaptation, a Ms. Marvel series, another series centered on She Hulk and one on Moon Knight, Star Wars series like The Mandalorian and a seventh season of The Clone Wars, as well as high-profile films like Frozen 2 and the live-action The Little Mermaid.

Disney+ will support the most popular devices at launch, including your iPhone, iPad and Mac. On Apple’s platforms, Disney+ will feature deep integration with Apple’s TV app with support for Up Next, personalized recommendations and more.

I’m definitely looking forward to Disney’s upcoming streaming thing.

How about you?