Ahead of the launch of Apple TV+ and Disney+, IHS Markit says that adoption will be hindered by limited TV platform support. Disney+ will support only 1 in 5 smart TVs at launch.

Smart TV support lacking
At launch next month, 60% of the US online population will be able to access Apple TV+ and 90% will be able to access Disney+, as illustrated in the graph below.



However, when excluding Android mobile devices "the addressable base for Disney+ shrinks considerably with the app expected to only reach 1 in 5 smart TVs", according to IHS Markit.

- "Service availability on connected living rooms devices - smart TVs, digital media adapters, games consoles and STBs - will be key in driving uptake among connected consumers. Smart TV apps are the most popular method of access to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, with nearly half of monthly users claiming to watch the respective video services via a smart TV app," IHS Markit said in a research note.

Disney has confirmed that it will support tvOS (Apple TV), Chromecast, Android TV and Roku at launch but not Amazon FireTV, Samsung Tizen, and LG webOS. 

Apple TV+ will be accessible through the company's TV app, which is available on Apple TV as well as Samsung 2018 and 2019 TVs with Tizen and select Roku devices. It will launch later on 2019 LG TVs with webOS, select 2019 Sony TVs, and select Vizio TVs as well as FireTV devices. Apple has not announced support for Android TV, Chromecast or game consoles.

- "By opening up to other platforms, Apple TV+ will see its addressable base increase by 24 percent to 87 million U.S. households," Fateha Begum, principal research analyst at IHS Markit, told Broadband TV News.


Netflix reaches 95%
For comparison Amazon Prime Video and Netflix are supported on most TV platforms, including Google's Android TV, Amazon's FireTV, Roku, Samsung's Tizen, Apple's tvOS, and LG's webOS. Netflix supports 95% of devices used in US households.

Apple TV+ will launch in over 100 regions on November 1 for $5 / €5 per month while Disney+ will launch later in November in a few regions for $7 / €7 per month.

WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal are both planning to launch a streaming service, HBO Max and Peacock respectively, in the first half of 2020. They have yet to announce platform support.

- Source: IHS Markit via Broadband TV News