Disney+ goes vertical

Disney+ is preparing to add a stream of short videos in vertical format, full screen, scrolling, quick discovery, and continuously refreshed content.

The idea is to make the application a daily reflex, including between two "long format" viewing sessions, by adopting the swipe mechanics popularized by TikTok.

Disney+ plans to mix several types of content: original short programs, clips designed for social media sharing, and "reformatted" scenes from films and series in its catalog. The ambition isn't simply to add a feature; it's to increase usage frequency, and therefore time spent in the app, with a direct benefit for user retention and, for ad-supported offerings, for advertising inventory.

41% of consumers consider both social media videos and streaming services as "TV time," and 35% say they spend more time watching videos on social media than on streaming services, a gap particularly pronounced among younger people. In this context, vertical content becomes a tool for winning back audiences: capturing micro-moments of attention without requiring viewers to switch apps.

This is also a strong indicator for the duanju ecosystem: the codes of ultra-short storytelling (immediate hook, tight pace, scenes understandable in seconds) are no longer confined to specialized apps. They are becoming established at the heart of general platforms, where the competition between streaming and social uses now takes place.

On the product side, Disney is already relying on an experiment on ESPN with the vertical “Greens” tab, and other players are moving forward with comparable approaches, with Netflix also having tested a vertical feed format.

Source :

• Deadline – January 8, 2026

• The Verge – January 8, 2026

• Marketing Dive – January 12, 2026

• 01net – January 8, 2026