Disney

Hulu gains 50+ Disney films in exclusive streaming deal

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 29, 2017

Subscription video on demand service Hulu just announced an exclusive multi-year deal with the entertainment conglomerate Disney that gives it rights to stream a collection of hit movies and family favorites from the rich library of blockbuster films from The Walt Disney Studios. This means that Disney movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mulan, Pocahontas, Hercules, Sister Act and Air Bud are all now available to stream exclusively via Hulu.

21 pay TV apps and 10 providers now support Apple’s new Single Sign-On feature

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 8, 2016

Single Sign-On, Apple's new feature that permits compatible video-streaming apps to unlock additional content by using your saved cable credentials, became officially available yesterday. Just a day after launch, apps from ABC and Disney have now gained support for Single Sign-On on the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, as well as Freeform, FXNOW and a few other apps, The Verge reported Thursday.

Disney Infinity drops support for the new Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

Less than five months after Apple started selling Disney's Infinity 3.0 starter kit, the interactive division of the Mickey Mouse house has decided to stop supporting the Apple TV edition of Infinity.

According to a message posted on the official Disney Infinity boards by its moderator, “the team is currently focusing on the traditional gaming platforms” and there are “no plans for further updates to the Apple TV version of the game”.

Disney launches new GIF keyboard app for iOS

Cody Lee ∙ June 27, 2015

Disney this week launched a new keyboard app for iOS called "Disney Gif." As the name suggests, the app allows you to browse through, and quickly share from, a library of animated GIF images and emoji icons featuring Disney content.

For its launch, the keyboard features hundreds of images pulled from Disney's expansive TV and movie collection, including Star Wars, Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Inside Out, The Lion King and various hit television shows from ABC.

Lead the Rebel Alliance to victory in Star Wars – Heroes Path, now available in App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Based on Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the original Star Wars film, Disney's just-released Star Wars - Heroes Path for the iPhone and iPad challenges players to lead the Rebel Alliance to victory in a series of movie-based puzzles.

The game revisits the original storyline of the Rebel Alliance's quest to blow the Death Star to pieces and beat the Galactic Empire. In Star Wars - Heroes Path, you'll enjoy cartoonish renditions of the movie's iconic characters such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, RS-D2 and many more.

Disney World confirms accepting Apple Pay beginning December 24

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Disney World confirmed this morning that it will be accepting Apple Pay starting Wednesday, Dec. 24.

Supporting Apple's mobile payment solution by Disney's theme park empire in time for the holidays will allow visitors who own an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus to use it to make contactless payments.

Apple Pay will be accepted in most Disney World stores, quick service restaurants, bars and to purchase tickets.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer hits iTunes and YouTube, watch it now

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 28, 2014

The official teaser trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens on Black Friday made its debut on iTunes. Lucas film yesterday tweeted that the trailer will hit iTunes after initially saying that it would only be shown in 30 movie theaters across the U.S. Disney in October 2012 acquired Lucasfilm in a transaction valued at a whopping $4 billion.

The acquisition brought Lucasfilm under Disney's fold and gave the Mickey Mouse house rights to further develop the Star Wars franchise and film new movies in the series in co-operation with George Lucas. The trailer has also hit YouTube and we've embedded it for your viewing pleasure right after the break.

Disney Store app updated with support for Apple Pay

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

The Disney Store app has received an update, bringing it to version 3.2.1. Just in time for the holidays, the update includes support for Apple Pay, allowing iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users to pay for their purchases using Apple's new payment method.

While in-app Apple Pay is supported by the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, it doesn't appear the iPad version of the Disney Store app takes advantage of it yet. It also looks like folks utilizing Apple Pay will still have to enter all of their shipping info.

Disney’s Movies Anywhere out for Android, makes cross-platform movies a reality

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 2, 2018

In a somewhat ironic twist of fate, Disney is helping blur the lines between Apple's and Google's respective ecosystems with Tuesday's release of its Movies Anywhere app for Android, now available free of charge in the U.S. Google Play Store. That's right, the app now lets folks buy and enjoy Disney content on both iOS and Android devices.

The movie-curating app debuted as an iOS exclusive in February 2014 with support for free streaming of any Disney, Pixar and Marvel content previously purchased from Apple's iTunes Store. Any of the 450 Disney movies you bought using the app would immediately register as purchased inside the iTunes Store.

Now that Disney Movies Anywhere is available for both iOS and Android, not only can you watch your Disney movies across Apple's and Google's platforms, but also purchase any Disney, Pixar or Marvel Universe movie on Google Play and have it available on iOS and vice versa.

Apple and Disney upgrading in-store iBeacon/NFC ahead of iPhone 6 launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Here's another piece of evidence to help complete the Apple mobile payments puzzle: according to a new report by 9to5Mac, Apple and Disney stores in the United States have been upgrading in-store iBeacon transmitters and NFC sensors ahead of the company's big reveal on Tuesday.

The upgraded sensors, which include the new Gimbal Series 20 Proximity Beacons, will allow the companies to track customers inside their stores with an even greater degree of precision.

As it's been widely reported, both the iPhone 6 and iWatch are rumored to be outfitted with a Near-Field Communication (NFC) chip to support mobile payments. It's “one of the hallmark features” of the iPhone 6, according to Wired. The Apple wearable device has “a role in mobile payments,” too, as per The Wall Street Journal.

Disney’s iOS-exclusive combat strategy game Star Wars: Commander launches globally

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 7, 2018

After soft-launching in Australia nearly two months ago, Disney Interactive on Thursday released its real-time strategy game for iOS, Star Wars: Commander, on a worldwide basis.

Available as a free-to-play download for the iPhone and iPad, Star Wars: Commander lets you play on the side of the Empire or the Rebellion and "lead epic battles with your favorite heroes".

You'll be challenged to invade other players' bases, charge into battle on distant planets, command your troops and lead machines of war like AT-ATs and TIE fighters into battle, while rising through the ranks as a powerful battlefield commander.

The premium game is set in the period of Galactic Civil War when the Rebellion rallied for justice and freedom while the Empire — as is its wont — sought control of the galaxy.

So, where does your allegiance lie?...

Disney iTunes sales briefly halted in Japan over licensing dispute

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Folks in Japan may have noticed that newer Disney movies like Frozen and Thor: The Dark World have been unavailable for purchase in iTunes over the past few days. You could rent the titles, but the option to buy them had been removed.

Good news this morning though, as it looks like Disney has resumed iTunes sales in the country. Variety is reporting that the temporary halt was due to difficulties in negotiations over the renewal of the old contract between the two firms...