Disney Plus In Bahrain: Availability And Accessibility

Disney Plus is a streaming service by Disney that provides its users with access to a wide range of Disney content, including movies, TV shows, and originals. The service was initially launched in the United States and has since expanded to various countries worldwide. However, the availability of Disney Plus varies by region, and there have been reports of launch delays in certain countries due to unforeseen circumstances. So, is Disney Plus available in Bahrain?

Disney Plus launch delayed in Bahrain

The launch of the Disney Plus streaming service in Bahrain has been delayed, causing disappointment for many fans in the country who were eagerly awaiting its arrival. This postponement comes as a surprise to many, especially considering the rapid expansion of Disney Plus across the globe.

Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic

The primary reason for the delay in Bahrain is due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has disrupted many industries and businesses worldwide. Disney had initially planned to launch Disney Plus in Bahrain and India through the Hotstar service, with a highly anticipated release date of March 29, coinciding with the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament. However, with the outbreak of COVID-19, the tournament was postponed, and Disney made the decision to pause the roll-out of their streaming service indefinitely.

Disney's Strategy in India

Disney's strategy in India, a key market for the company, is intricately linked to cricket, which is the most popular sport in the Indian subcontinent. Disney's Star network has a stronghold on cricket broadcasting rights, having paid a substantial amount for the 2018-2022 IPL rights. By launching Disney Plus in conjunction with the IPL season, Disney aimed to leverage the massive audience pull of the tournament. However, with the tournament's postponement, Disney chose to delay their streaming service launch as well.

Future Plans Uncertain

At this time, it is unclear when Disney plans to resume the launch of Disney Plus in Bahrain and India. Uday Shankar, President of The Walt Disney Company APAC and chairman of Star and Disney India, stated that they would announce a new revised premiere date soon. However, no further details have been released, leaving Bahraini fans of Disney waiting patiently for updates.

Impact on Bahraini Subscribers

The delay has left many Bahraini subscribers disappointed, especially those who were looking forward to accessing Disney's extensive content library, including popular titles such as "The Mandalorian," "The Lion King," and "Avengers: Endgame." With no clear timeline for the launch, subscribers in Bahrain must continue to wait until Disney provides further updates or makes the decision to move forward with the streaming service's introduction in the country.

Disney Plus goes live before the official launch

On March 11, 2020, Disney Plus went live in India, ahead of its official launch date of March 29. The streaming service was briefly available in the country for a day before it was withdrawn. This beta test was limited to a small number of customers. The launch of Disney Plus was expected to coincide with the beginning of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, the largest audience puller for Disney's India streaming service, Hotstar.

Uday Shankar, President of the Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and Chairman for Star and Disney India, was expected to reveal further details at an event in Mumbai. The content was made available in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu languages for various series, including 'Free Solo', 'The Lion King', and 'Star Wars Rebels'. Additionally, Marvel, National Geographic, and Disney Originals became available to stream on the platform, including shows like 'The Mandalorian', 'Diary of a Future President', and 'The World According to Jeff Goldblum'.

The launch of Disney Plus in India was highly anticipated, and it marked a significant expansion of Disney's streaming service into the Indian market. However, the timing of the launch was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, which also caused the postponement of the IPL tournament. Despite the brief beta test, the official launch of Disney Plus in India was delayed, with a new premiere date to be announced.

While there is no direct information about the availability of Disney Plus in Bahrain, the fact that Disney was preparing for its launch in India suggests that the company was actively expanding its streaming service into new markets. It is possible that Bahrain was also under consideration for a future launch, but there are no specific details available regarding this.

Disney Plus available in India

Disney Plus is available in India through Star India's Hotstar streaming service, which was rebranded as Disney+ Hotstar. The service launched in India in April 2020.

Disney Plus is an American subscription video-on-demand streaming service owned and operated by Disney Streaming, a division of the Walt Disney Company. It primarily distributes films and television shows produced by Walt Disney Studios and Disney Television Studios, with dedicated content hubs for Disney's flagship brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic.

The service launched in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands in November 2019 and has since expanded globally, including its entry into India.

In India, Disney+ Hotstar offers a host of interesting content, including original shows like "The Mandalorian," a vast catalogue of movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, and Marvel, and the first 30 seasons of "The Simpsons."

The cost of a Disney+ subscription in India is not clear. Hotstar, which is owned by Star Networks, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, offers an annual subscription for Rs 999 and a monthly scheme for Rs 299. It is not yet known whether Disney+ will cost extra on top of these prices.

To access Disney+ content in India, users can follow these steps:

• Go to APKPure or APKMirror website and download the latest version of the Disney+ application. Once downloaded, install it on your smartphone.
• Go to the Google Play Store and download a VPN application. Install the application and then connect to either a United States or Canadian server.
• Open the Disney+ application and set up an account. Disney offers a one-week free subscription. After the free period, users can choose to subscribe to the service.

Disney Plus Hotstar on Android and iOS

Disney+ Hotstar is a multimedia app that combines the global library of Disney+ with the Indian-centric content of Hotstar. It is available in India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The app is a streaming platform that offers a wide selection of entertainment from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, as well as Indonesian premieres and Indian Hotstar originals.

Disney+ Hotstar is available on Android and iOS devices. On Android, the app requires Android 5.0 or higher and can be downloaded from Uptodown. The app offers a free download, but a subscription is required to access its content. The subscription enables users to stream on up to two devices simultaneously and download films and episodes for offline viewing. The app also supports Chromecast, allowing users to watch on a bigger screen.

Disney+ Hotstar for Android offers flexible resolution qualities, ranging from SD to Full HD, allowing users to choose based on their data rate or internet speed. The app provides an ad-free, uninterrupted streaming experience and includes a children's mode with suitable age-appropriate content.

For iOS devices, the Disney+ Hotstar app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store. The app offers the same features as the Android version, including access to Disney's extensive content library, the ability to stream on multiple devices, and the option to download content for offline viewing.

Disney+ Hotstar on both Android and iOS devices provides a user-friendly interface, making it easy for subscribers to navigate and find their favourite shows and movies. The app offers a comprehensive streaming platform, bringing a diverse array of entertainment directly to users' devices.

Disney Plus content available in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu

Disney+ offers a wide range of content in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Here is a detailed overview of the available content in these languages:

Hindi Content:

The streaming platform offers a variety of Hindi movies and TV series. Some popular choices include "The Night Manager", a thriller series about a hotel night manager on a mission to destroy an arms dealer, and "Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo", a drama series that follows a matriarch of a hidden drug cartel. For movie enthusiasts, there is "Good Luck Jerry", a comedy-crime film about a woman who gets entangled in drug trafficking, and "Hum Do Hamare Do", a comedy-drama about a self-made man who falls in love and decides to create a fake family due to being an orphan.

Tamil Content:

Disney+ also provides a selection of Tamil content. "Oh Manapenne" is a romantic comedy movie about an overachiever who collaborates with an underachiever for a business venture, with their hearts at stake. "Super Singer" is a popular reality TV singing competition series. "Vaazhai" is another movie option, offering a blend of comedy and drama.

Telugu Content:

In terms of Telugu content, Disney+ includes movies such as "Veera Simha Reddy", an action-packed film where a son's reunion with his long-lost father takes a chaotic turn due to the father's past. "The Legend of Hanuman" is a fantasy TV series available in Telugu, along with "Vaazhai", a movie that combines comedy and drama.

Disney+ provides a diverse range of content in these languages, offering something for everyone in the family.

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