Vertical video content, popularized across platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and ESPN, is expanding to Disney+ with its engaging, endlessly scrollable design.
During a Disney-organized promotional gathering at CES this week, company leaders unveiled the initiative, explaining that it aims to gradually enhance user engagement and apply the format diversely across genres and media forms to deliver tailored, interactive streams.
On the types of content suitable for vertical viewing on Disney+, an executive shared with Deadline that all possibilities are under consideration, ranging from social media segments and adapted highlights from television series and films to brief original productions.
Disney Executive Vice President Erin Teague stated in the Deadline conversation, 'We're clearly considering ways to embed vertical videos that align with fundamental user patterns,' adding, 'As a result, the integration will feel cohesive rather than scattered or unpredictable.'
Over the last five years, short-form vertical videos reminiscent of TikTok have permeated social media landscapes, with platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook adopting the trend around 2020.
Prominent streaming platforms are increasingly incorporating vertical material, adaptable to handheld devices and larger displays alike. YouTube Shorts, for one, have been accessible via the YouTube television application for some time, while Netflix experimented with vertical feeds in its phone app during the previous year.
Disney already launched 'Verts' within the ESPN smartphone application last August, paving the way for this exploration of the format on its flagship streaming service.
Implementation details for Disney+ remain undecided, yet Teague conveyed to Deadline that the feature extends beyond mere previews for existing programs and films, positioning the platform as an essential everyday hub for viewers.
With more than two decades in journalism focused on technology and consumer devices, author Ben began contributing to PCWorld in 2014 before transitioning to TechHive in 2019. There, he has reported on topics from intelligent audio systems and speakers to connected illumination and surveillance devices. His pieces have graced publications including PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, and Mobile Magazine. Ben earned a master's degree in English literature.