- Former Disney CEO Bob Iger says that he doesn't think all streaming services will survive.
- But he is impressed by a select few, including, obviously, Disney+.
- He also called out Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV+.
Bob Iger is optimistic about a handful of streaming services — but not all of them.
"I don't think they'll all make it," Iger said during an interview at Vox's annual Code Conference on Wednesday. "There will be haves and have nots."
The former Disney CEO who helped launch the Disney+ streaming service toward the end of his tenure declined to specify which he thinks are in trouble, but he called out a select few that impress him. Obviously, Disney+ is one of those; he said he's "clearly a big believer" in the service's longevity.
Disney+ has 152 million subscribers after just two-and-a-half years as of the end of Q2.
Netflix is another, despite the streaming giant's recent woes. It's lost subscribers for two quarters in a row this year, a first for the company, and has conducted massive layoffs.
But it's still the leading streaming service with over 220 million subscribers worldwide, and is taking steps to address slowing growth with plans to introduce an ad-supported plan early next year.
"I believe that Netflix is going to continue to thrive," Iger said. "They have some issues now, but they're not going away."
He also acknowledged that tech giants Amazon and Apple made great strides in streaming with Prime Video and Apple TV+, respectively, saying that they'll both "continue to grow" (Neither company breaks out subscriber numbers).
"They're not primary businesses for them and they're measured, probably, by different standards in terms of bottom line, and they serve other purposes in those companies," Iger said.
"But they're not going to stand pat. They're going to continue to grow and they'll grow well. They've got deep pockets. They've got great access to consumers. They have strong technology platforms. They've proven they know how to do it. So they stay."
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