Disney+ launched its streaming service in the Middle East and North Africa on Wednesday, vying for market share in a region where the population is young but few people so far use such services.
Disney+ said it had gone live in 16 Arab countries and was tailoring content for the region, including offering Arabic subtitles on most offerings, particularly popular content.
Netflix currently leads in the region, with more than 6.8 million subscribers, according to Digital TV Research. Starzplay, an Abu Dhabi-based competitor, ranks second with just under 2 million, followed by Amazon with 1.4 million.
Some competitors offer original Arabic content. Netflix is already working on second seasons for its popular series “Al Rawabi School for Girls” and “Finding Ola”.
MBC Group’s streaming platform, Shahid, has ordered an Arabic version of British comedy “The Office”. Regional competitor OSN has an Arabic version of U.S. legal series “Suits”.
OSN previously had rights to carry Disney+ original content.
