Disney+ Officially Launches Vertical Video Feature
As Disney continues to try to encourage more viewers to spend time in the Disney+ app, it has been working to incorporate vertical videos, and today Disney has officially rolled out “Verts” on Disney+ for mobile devices in the United States, following a successful launch of a similar feature on the ESPN app.
This is the first phase of bringing vertical video content to Disney+, and some users have had access to “Verts” for a while as part of the slow rollout of this feature. This new dynamic feed on Disney+ helps users quickly find their next favourite watch and is just the start of what will be an ongoing evolution of Verts.
“Verts” offers a new way for fans to connect with the stories they love. With a tap of the new Verts icon in the navigation bar on mobile, users enter a vertical video feed, swipe through a stream of scenes and moments from movies and shows on Disney+, and seamlessly add to their Watchlist or jump directly into playback.
With the latest streaming hits and an incredible catalogue spanning more than 100 years of storytelling, Disney is making it easier for fans to discover what to watch next. “Verts” offers a fun, fast way to explore that catalogue right from the moment users open the app. It brings the magic of Disney’s storytelling into a format that feels modern, engaging, and tailor-made for how fans already enjoy discovering video on mobile devices.
Currently, “Verts” is only available on Disney+ in the United States, but hopefully, it won’t be too long until it’s expanded to other regions. These videos also only seem to be available on mobile devices, as it’s been designed for smartphone screens, rather than televisions.
Roger’s Take: With the sheer number of vertical videos being watched on other platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, it makes sense that Disney tries to offer something similar to boost engagement. While the launch of “Verts” feels more like a way of just advertising films and shows already available on Disney+, rather than original content, though Disney recently launched its first original vertical video series, “Locker Diaries”.
Recently, Disney revealed it was teaming with Sora AI to create user-generated short-form videos featuring over 200 characters such as Darth Vader, Spider-Man, Stitch and Mickey Mouse. These will also likely eventually end up in the “Verts” section.
While I have little doubt that this new feature can compete with the sheer volume of content on social media platforms, “Verts” will hopefully continue to evolve and improve, offering an alternative, especially at times when you only have a few minutes to be entertained.
What do you think of the idea of vertical videos within Disney+? Let me know on social media!
