Looks like Netflix won’t be the only streamer cracking down on password sharing.
During a conference call with investors on Wednesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed what many had long suspected: Disney+ will soon begin its own password-sharing crackdown.
Oh, and more price hikes are coming for both Disney+ and Hulu. (Goodie.)
Related: Find out how to avoid the Disney+ price increase
As The Wrap reports, Iger said Disney+ would begin enforcing rules against password sharing starting in 2024.
“We are actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family,” Iger said on the call, according to The Wrap.
“Later this year, we will begin to update our subscriber agreements with additional terms and our sharing policies. And we will roll out tactics to drive monetization sometime in 2024,” Iger added.
Iger didn’t go into more detail about Disney+’s password-sharing crackdown plans, but it sounds like Disney+ may charge extra for subscribers who want to share their accounts with others, similar to what Netflix is doing.
Meanwhile, new Disney+ and Hulu price hikes are slated to hit October 12, according to The Streamable.
Look for the price of Disney+ Premium to increase an eye-popping $3 a month, bringing the total of ad-free Disney+ to $13.99/month.
Also getting a price hike: Hulu (No Ads), which will go up to $17.99 a month, a $3-a-month increase, while Hulu with live TV will increase to $76.99 (with ads) and $89.99 (ad-free), each up $7 a month.
Finally, a new ad-free Disney+ and Hulu bundle will cost $19.99 a month. That bundle will likely be offered through the upcoming “one-app experience” for Disney+ and Hulu that Iger teased last quarter.
Here’s a little good news: the prices for the ad-supported versions of Disney+ and Hulu will remain unchanged, at least for now.
Word of the price hikes and password-sharing crackdown came as Disney reported its third-quarter results, which included the sobering news that Disney+’s subscription base fell 7.4 percent compared to the previous quarter.
As CNBC notes, Disney+ Hotstar was to blame for most of the subscriber losses, as that regional service recently missed out on the rights to Indian Premier League cricket matches.
The last time Disney+ and Hulu subscribers got hit with price hikes was just a year ago.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he covers smart speakers, soundbars, and other smart and home-theater devices. You can follow Ben on Twitter.