It’s already been more than four years since Disney+ rolled out across the MENA region. Much has changed, yet users knew there were differences when compared to Europe/USA/Canada/etc. Starting from October 6, The Walt Disney Company is rolling out upgrades for the MENA region along with some new features.
Major change to the core mobile app + more
The big portion of the service is that the mobile app was running on the Hotstar infrastructure. This was a completely different backend, based on the JioHotstar service catering to the Asia and Africa markets.
- Login process involved using your mobile phone number then entering the OTP as the password.
- You couldn’t get 4K streaming and Dolby Vision for most content, and streaming capped to 1080p or even 720p.
That changes from today as The Walt Disney Company has released a new version of the app for both iOS and Android devices, which work on both smartphones and tablets. Similar changes are also translating to other devices where Disney+ is available as an app including smart TVs.
The new version of the app won’t be an update to the Hotstar one. You’ll have to download and install it. Best part it also has support for Arabic in the UI.
Given the differences, many of your current preferences will not carry over and you’ll have to start fresh (e.g. watchlists, recommendations, viewing history, etc.). It’s a small trade-off compared to the improvements and better performance you’ll experience with a more robust mobile app. This ensures a unified experience for subscribers regardless of their location.
Service improvements for Disney+
If you used the Hotstar version, you likely learned the hard way that you couldn’t access/stream when you travelled out of the MENA region (streaming while travelling worked when it’s to/from one of the MENA countries). The new app now lets you stream and watch even when you travel to Europe/USA/Canada/Australia/wherever the service is available. It also means your content library will change based on your geographic location (due to content licensing distribution agreements). The upgrade opens up access to a larger library of content, including Korean and Turkish shows. Let’s not forget Hulu, which Disney has merged and replaces the Star section.
As Disney is all about being kid friendly, it also brings a new children’s section known as “Junior Mode” (known in Arabic as ‘عالم الصغار‘). This will offer age-appropriate shows, with the addition of strengthened parental controls to allow families to restrict adult content and create PIN-protected profiles.
Of course, there are some lingering questions:
- How does this impact the Shahid Epic Bundle when they partnered with OSN+ and Shahid back in December 2025?
- Disney+ recently did update their user agreement in Europe related to advertising. As the USA already has an ad-tier, would the MENA region potentially also see it?
- There is news of a free, ad-supported tier being explored. Will the MENA region see it as an option?
We’ll have to wait and see, but now you can just enjoy the new upgrade that also coincides with the release of Toy Story 5 (which includes a Saudi-dialect version of the movie dubbed in Arabic).
Header image credit: Disney Pressroom
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