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The House of Mouse's unified streaming app was supposed to arrive in early 2026
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Disney's outgoing CEO has indicated Hulu will be fully integrated into Disney+ by the end of the year
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- Disney's unified streaming app could launch by "the end of the calendar year"
- The one-app experience will officially mark the merging of Disney+ and Hulu
- CEO Bob Iger wouldn't be drawn on an exact date during the company's Q1 2026 earnings call
Disney+ and Hulu will officially merge and become a single streaming app before the end of 2026.
That's according to outgoing Disney chief executive Bob Iger, who stated his belief that the company's unified app experience would happen by "the end of the calendar year". Iger mentioned the revised launch window to shareholders during Disney's Q1 2026 earnings and investor call, which took place today (Monday, February 2).
Iger's comments arrive six months after it was revealed that Disney+ and Hulu would become a single streaming app, with Iger suggesting last August that the merger would occur in early 2026.
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Now, the House of Mouse's CEO believes it won't happen for many months, saying: "Even though consumers will always be able to buy Disney+ or Hulu on its own, we are hard at work on the technology front to create the one app experience.
"But, by and large, we believe the great majority of consumers will buy both and it will be a fully integrated experience," he continued, before adding: "I would guess that would be coming sometime by the end of the calendar year."
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Whenever Disney+ effectively absorbs Hulu, it won't mark the start of one of the world's best streaming services (Hulu) being integrated into another (Disney+).
Last October, Hulu officially replaced Disney+ Star as the content banner that Hulu and FX Originals would live under in non-US territories. That change, which also introduced an updated user interface on Disney+, arrived almost two years after The Walt Disney Company began testing a combined Disney+ and Hulu app. Clearly, this is something Disney has wanted to implement for a long time.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Nonetheless, the prospect of a unified streaming app poses a big – not to mention very predictable – question: will it lead to yet another price increase?
Writing about the Disney+ and Hulu merger in the August 2025 article I linked to earlier, my colleague Jasmine Valentine pointed out that Disney didn't raise the $19.99 monthly fee of its ad-free Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN premium bundle in August 2024. That showed that the entertainment behemoth isn't averse to freezing prices to keep costs down for consumers.
Unfortunately, that's been the exception to the norm. Disney has upped the price of its various subscription tiers annually for the last few years now, which frustrated customers haven't been shy about voicing their displeasure over. For more on how much it currently costs to sign up to the platform, read my Disney+ price guide.
So, will you and I be hit with yet another price hike when this combined app arrives? I suspect so, yes. And, with October being the month that Disney has raised the price of Hulu and Disney+ in the past two years, I wouldn't be shocked if said unified app is not only rolled out in October 2026, but also results in more expense-based pain for customers.
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Tom PowerSocial Links NavigationSenior Entertainment ReporterAs TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
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