Disney is expanding its new multimedia streaming service to China. The entertainment company announced the creation of the DisneyLife subscription in October with a UK launch. Now China is getting access through the sale of a device shaped like the iconic Mickey Mouse head silhouette. This device acts like a streaming dongle, connecting to a television to access music, videos, books, and other Disney content digitally. The device is available now for preorder and costs $125 for both the gadget and a year’s subscription to DisneyLife.
The launch is happening through a partnership with Alibaba. We’ve seen the Chinese conglomerate making moves to expand from online retail into the entertainment space with the purchase of a video network and a newly created music division. When Disney originally introduced the UK launch, it said the service was projected to reach France, Spain, Italy, and Germany in 2016, but had no mention of expansion to China. Who knows if more surprises could be in store for this platform.