Disney+ Will Introduce Vertical Video Format on Mobile Apps in 2027

Disney+ will present a vertical video format (photo: dok. unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Disney+ application will undergo changes next year. According to a statement from Walt Disney Co. at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas, Disney+ will present a vertical video format.

This feature was developed to increase user engagement on the film and series streaming platform. That way, users don't just spend time watching long-running films in a horizontal format, but also short-running vertical videos.

"We know that mobile devices are an incredible opportunity to transform Disney+", said Executive Vice President of Product Management, Erin Teague, launching from the Los Angeles Times on Thursday, January 8. "All the short-form Disney content you want, it's all (will be) in one app."

Over the course of this year, Disney will develop the ability to determine the format, category, and type of new content for these vertical formats. Although it has been revealed that it will be available next year, Teague did not say when exactly this new feature will be released.

In addition to announcing the new feature, Disney also touched on its partnership with OpenAI at the event. The entertainment company granted OpenAI a special license so that Sora, a video-making chatbot, could create popular Disney characters through its text-to-video capabilities.

The licensing agreement includes the use of more than 200 Disney characters. Although it is allowed to use the visualization of its characters, Disney insists that this cooperation does not include the use of the original voices of the actors or voice actors of its characters.

As a form of continued partnership, Disney also said that they invested 1 billion US dollars (Rp16.8 trillion) into the Artificial Intelligence (AI) company. This step was taken to develop new technologies or features that can attract the attention of Generation Alpha.

"AI is an accelerator," said Teague. "That's why collaborations with partners like OpenAI are so important. We want to empower a new generation of fans that is more interactive and immersive, while also respecting human creativity and protecting user safety."