Hulu is finally going global. The Walt Disney Company revealed today that its general-audiences streaming service, which has operated in the U.S. in one form or another since 2007 (the same year Netflix, Inc., launched its on-demand streamer), would become a “global general entertainment brand” on Disney+ and replace the international hub Star in markets outside the States starting next week. Since its launch in 2021, Star has been nested within the Disney+ app for non-U.S. subscribers in every country that Disney+ operates (except for India, where the Hotstar brand is hugely popular due to cricket). Star will go away on October 8.
With the rebrand, changes are coming to the Disney+ experience worldwide. On its TV apps, a new navigation bar with the Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN logos is being added to the top of the app’s home page for users who subscribe to those services, as well as a “For You” tab that will serve as the app’s new home page. “For You” is powered by what Disney is calling “an updated algorithm that learns user preferences over time.” Along the app’s left-side vertical navigation, a “Live” button, linking to a new hub, has been added as well, and across the app, new badges like “Season Finale,” “New Series,” and “New Movie” will add context to individual titles. The home page is also getting a refresh, adding more video playback to the main carousel and its brand navigation. It looks not unlike … Netflix’s old design before that streamer’s last big design update.