People have been religiously waiting for Disney+ to make its debut in the Indian market ever since exclusive shows like Mandalorian gained fame. When Hotstar announced that Disney+ will be sharing its own platform for the Indian market, everyone was excited. And even though the official launch was set for 29th March, people freaked out when they found Disney+ appearing on the platform weeks before. However, the feature/ announcement has been rolled back after 24 hours of activity.
The company said that the ‘launch’ was more of a beta test and was only limited to a few users, only for a short period of time, and the official launch is still set for 29th March. “A limited release of the beta version of the Disney+ Hotstar app is currently being tested with a small number of consumers, in preparation for the full-fledged app launch on 29th March,” a Hotstar spokesperson told Hindustan Times following the availability of Disney+ content in India. Thus, it would be wise to not get your hopes up about an early launch.
For a very short time, users got a blue theme on Hotstar to vibe with Disney+’s arrival. The icon for the platform also changed during this period, changing from just ‘Hotstar’ to ‘Disney+ Hotstar’. But after the 24 hour window, all these features, along with the added content, were removed from the platform.
Disney+, along with all its contents, is set to arrive in India in just a few weeks, where it would face stiff competition from the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. The platform will have the added benefit of coronavirus, which has caused people to stay indoors, thus boosting profits streaming services worldwide.
Hotstar Premium is available for users at Rs. 999 an year or Rs. 299 a month. However, these prices are prone to fluctuation after Disney+ arrives, with a price hike almost imminent. The actual price is yet to be revealed.
