Although Disney+ only debuted a month ago, it seems to have taken over 2019 as one of the most significant cultural moments of the year based on its subscriber count and domination over internet searches.
According to CNBC, Apptopia, an app-tracking company, reports that the Disney+ app has already been downloaded onto mobile devices 22 million times. Since the streaming service launched on November 12, it has averaged about 9.5 million daily users. The Disney+ app is in the top spot for both Apple and Google app stores.
Since Apptopia only counts mobile downloads, that 22 million figure is most likely even higher when you factor in those who have downloaded Disney+ on their smart TVs, desktops, or streaming devices.
Just a day after its launch, it was reported that Disney+ had already racked up more than 10 million subscribers. A projection made by Morgan Stanley analyst Benjamin Swinburne in June was that Disney+ could have 13 million subscribers by the end of 2020, and based on Apptopia’s data, the streaming service has beat that subscriber number by leaps and bounds.
In addition to its already successful first month, Google’s 2019 Year in Search revealed that Disney+ was the most-searched term of 2019 in the U.S., beating out the iPhone 11 and Game of Thrones. Digital Trends reached out to Google to find out exactly how many searches Disney+ had, and we’ll update the story once we hear back.
It’s no surprise that the streaming service dominated the year, what with big names like The Mandalorian and Avengers: Endgame being front and center on the app. The streaming service debuted at $7 a month with an extensive list of over 600 movies and TV shows. Classics such as 101 Dalmatians, Cinderella, and Mary Poppins, as well as Disney Channel shows including Even Stevens, Kim Possible, and Lizzie McGuire are all available to watch on the platform.
Disney+ could very well reign king in the streaming service war within the next year if its download numbers keep growing as quickly as they are. However, CNBC said that Disney would not disclose its official paid subscriber numbers until the company’s next quarterly report.
Netflix, which is the most popular streaming service, currently has more than 60 million paid subscribers in the U.S., according to its 2019 third-quarter report. The Disney-owned Hulu has claimed more than 28 million subscribers.
