Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro is leading a tech overhaul of Disney+ to close the gap with Netflix and YouTube, including better recommendations and vertical videos
Streaming has been a drag on Disney's share price as subscriber growth stalled. A tech overhaul and more foreign-language shows are in the cards.
Context & Ripple Effects
Disney’s effort follows its earlier work on tailored recommendations and features meant to extend viewing time, showing that product engagement—not simply launching a streaming service—has become the unresolved task.
The company had previously made streaming its primary entertainment focus during a pandemic-era corporate reorganization. Stalled subscriber growth now puts more pressure on the service experience and programming mix to demonstrate competitive progress.
First-order effects
- Disney+ product and content teams will prioritize recommendation improvements, vertical-video experiences, and additional foreign-language programming under Josh D’Amaro’s overhaul.
- Disney is directly addressing the engagement and growth gap it sees against Netflix and YouTube, shifting attention toward how viewers discover and consume content inside Disney+.
Second-order effects
- The move raises the importance of recommendation quality and short-form viewing formats in Disney’s competitive positioning, rather than treating them as secondary features to its catalog.
- More foreign-language programming expands the need for acquisition, localization, and merchandising decisions that make those titles discoverable to the right audiences.
Third-order effects
- If major subscription services keep borrowing engagement mechanics associated with video platforms, streaming competition will increasingly center on product design and discovery systems alongside exclusive programming.
- The pattern points to a more segmented streaming market: mature services may pursue engagement gains and programming breadth when subscriber growth no longer provides the main expansion path.
The trend: Maturing streaming services are moving from launch-and-library strategies toward platform-style engagement, personalization, and format innovation to sustain growth.