Technology

Netflix vs Disney: Who’s Winning the Streaming War?

Published

12 months ago

October 10, 2022

Truman Du

Featured Creator

Article/Editing:

Carmen Ang

Netflix subscribers versus Disney

Netflix vs Disney: Who’s Winning the Streaming War?

Netflix is well-known as one of the pioneers of mass-market video streaming. The service has become so ubiquitous that the word “Netflix” is now synonymous with watching a movie or television show.

But, while it’s one of the most recognized streaming platforms in the world, has it been able to maintain its dominant position in the industry now that more competitors have entered the fray?

This graphic by Truman Du shows how Disney’s streaming empire (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+) has quickly gained subscribers and is giving Netflix a run for its money.

Netflix: The Beginning

Founded in 1997, Netflix started out as mail-order DVD rental company. One of the co-founders Reed Hastings told Fortune Magazine that he got the idea for Netflix after he was charged a $40 late fee for a VHS he’d rented out.

By 2007, Netflix had evolved from a relatively modest DVD rental company into a ground-breaking subscription-based streaming service. While there were a few other streaming platforms at the time, Netflix had a significant first mover’s advantage, operating on a subscription model and acquiring a wide pool of distribution rights from different studios.

This allowed the company to grow rapidly and establish itself as an industry leader. From 2007 to 2022, Netflix’s subscriber base grew from 7 million to 221 million, nearly 3,000%.

When Did Disney Enter the Scene?

The Walt Disney Company got involved in the streaming industry in 2009 when it first joined Hulu as a minor stakeholder, but became more directly invested in 2016 when it bought a 33% stake in BAMTECH Media, a video streaming technology company.

Disney eventually bought a majority stake in BAMTECH Media and in 2018, the company rebranded to Disney Streaming Services. In addition to launching Disney+ and ESPN+, Disney’s acquisition of 21 Century Fox gave the company a majority stake in other streaming platforms including Hulu and Star+.

While Disney arrived much later on the scene compared to Netflix, it didn’t take long for Disney’s platforms to gain traction. And as of Q2 2022, Disney’s streaming empire (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+) has more combined subscribers than Netflix, and are gaining at a rapid pace.

Netflix

Platform	Subscribers (Q2 2022)	% Growth (y-o-y)
Netflix	220.7 million	5.5%
Netflix Total	220.7 million	5.5%

Disney

Platform	Subscribers (Q2 2022)	% Growth (y-o-y)
Disney+	152.1 million	31.1%
Hulu	46.2 million	7.9%
ESPN	22.8 million	53.0%
Disney Total	221.1 million	27.3%

Other streaming services like HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video also continue to pick up steam, which begs the question: has the Netflix empire started to tumble?

Recent Trouble With Netflix

In April 2022, Netflix shared its Q1 results which showed a loss of 200,000 subscribers. Though barely a fraction of its 200+ million subscribers, it was Netflix’s first drop in subscribers in over 10 years.

This sent the company’s share price plummeting below $200, the lowest since 2017. As October 10, 2022, its share price still sits at $230, over 30% down from before the Q1 announcement in April 2022.

But change for the company is on the horizon. Netflix has announced that it plans to launch a cheaper, ad-supported service in November—something that other streaming platforms like Peacock and Paramount+ have already been offering customers for a few years.

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

Related Topics:netflix fox disney streaming television prime HBO HBO max subscribers TV streaming wars video streaming amazon Hulu

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Space

Which Companies Own the Most Satellites?

Despite Starlink’s dominance in the industry, the company is set to face intense competition in the coming years.

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2023

Bruno Venditti

Which Companies Own the Most Satellites?

Nearly 7,000 satellites orbit the Earth, serving vital functions such as communication, navigation, and scientific research.

In 2022 alone, more than 150 launches took place, sending new instruments into space, with many more expected over the next decade.

But who owns these objects? In this graphic, we utilize data from the Union of Concerned Scientists to highlight the leaders in satellite technology.

SpaceX’s Dominance in Space

SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, is unquestionably the industry leader, currently operating the largest fleet of satellites in orbit—about 50% of the global total.

The company has already completed 62 missions this year, surpassing any other company or nation, and operates thousands of internet-beaming Starlink spacecraft that provide global internet connectivity.

Starlink customers receive a small satellite dish that self-orients itself to align with Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit satellites.

Owner	Total	Share	Country
SpaceX	3,395	50%	USA
OneWeb Satellites	502	7%	UK
Chinese Government	369	5%	China
U.S. Government	306	4%	USA
Planet Labs, Inc.	195	3%	USA
Russian Federation	137	2%	Russia
Spire Global Inc.	127	2%	USA
Swarm Technologies	84	1%	USA
Iridium Communications, Inc.	75	1%	USA
Other	1,528	23%

Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.

In second place is a lesser-known company, British OneWeb Satellites. The company, headquartered in London, counts the UK government among its investors and provides high-speed internet services to governments, businesses, and communities.

Like many other satellite operators, OneWeb relies on SpaceX to launch its satellites.

Despite Starlink’s dominance in the industry, the company is set to face intense competition in the coming years. Amazon’s Project Kuiper plans to deploy 3,236 satellites by 2029 to compete with SpaceX’s network. The first of the fleet could launch as early as 2024.

The Rise of China’s Space Program

After the top private companies, governments also own a significant portion of satellites orbiting the Earth. The U.S. remains the leader in total satellites, when adding those owned by both companies and government agencies together.

American expenditures on space programs reached $62 billion in 2022, five times more than the second one, China.

China, however, has sped up its space program over the last 20 years and currently has the highest number of satellites in orbit belonging directly to government agencies. Most of these are used for Earth observation, communications, defense, and technology development.

Satellite Demand to Rise Over the Decade

Despite the internet being taken for granted in major metropolitan areas and developed countries, one out of every three people worldwide has never used the web.

Furthermore, the increasing demand for data and the emergence of new, more cost-effective satellite technologies are expected to present significant opportunities for private space companies.

In this context, satellite demand is projected to quadruple over the next decade.