Rebecca Day

Disney Plus reached 10 million sign-ups, said the company Wednesday, following the Tuesday launch (see 1911120048) of the $6.99 monthly service. Disney is offering a free seven-day trial; Verizon is offering a free year of service to its unlimited data customers. Disney said Wednesday it won't release further subscriber data outside of quarterly calls. Widespread reports documented glitches with the streaming service’s debut. The content provider acknowledged complications in a tweet, saying launch “exceeded our highest expectations. We are so pleased you’re excited to watch all your favorites and are working quickly to resolve any current issues. We appreciate your patience.” Vizio SmartCast customers were left out due to incompatibilities with Chromecast. A Vizio spokesperson emailed us Tuesday that the TV maker “is working diligently to implement the new version of Chromecast and will start rolling out the update to our SmartCast TVs as soon as possible.” He suggested a workaround for Vizio TV owners by using Apple’s AirPlay. A Disney spokesperson emailed that “Vizio is currently not running on Android TV and therefore will not receive Disney+ as part of our compatibility.” Her solution: “If you plug in a Chromecast device into the Vizio TV, the end-user will be able to access Disney+.” She said users also can plug in an Android TV device such as an Nvidia Shield, Mi Box or JBL Link Bar to get access. Disney's website said the streaming service is also available on Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices; LG and Samsung TVs; and PS4 and Xbox One game platforms.

AT&T had a Q3 net loss of about 1.4 million subscribers across its three pay-TV services -- DirecTV, AT&T U-verse and AT&T Now -- vs. a net loss of about 295,000 subscribers in the year-ago quarter, reported Leichtman Research Group Wednesday. AT&T’s subscriber losses, 79 percent of industry Q3 net losses vs. 30 percent in 3Q 2018, resulted from the company’s decision “to increasingly focus on retaining and acquiring more profitable subscribers,” said LRG principal Bruce Leichtman.

Disney Plus got a reality check Tuesday morning when Twitter lit up with disgruntled customers reporting service fails on the first day of its highly publicized launch. Disney Plus, aggressively affordable at $6.99 per month -- $12.99 in a bundle with ESPN Plus and Hulu -- went live Tuesday. It promises streaming access at launch to nearly 500 films, 7,500 TV episodes and other content.

CTA will announce at CES it's working with the World Bank on how to use technology to solve global problems. CTA CEO Gary Shapiro said the association is working with the group to focus on global problems involving health, gender barriers, climate change, emergency preparedness, cybersecurity and other challenges. CTA officials also spoke Thursday about other CES 2020 plans (see 1911080045).

Energous closed down 18 percent Friday to $2.32 after more disappointing results. “We are not where we expected to be from a revenue standpoint,” said CEO Stephen Rizzone on a Thursday call, citing lack of regulatory approvals in Asia as the cause of product delays for its wireless charging technology. The company, which received FCC approval for its WattUp midfield transmitter in 2017, posted Q3 revenue of $40,500, down from $228,000 in the year-ago quarter. Rizzone said it's possible a certification in China, Japan or Korea could open opportunities to some tier 1 global requirements that have been “put on hold” until certification. The company is now targeting medical sensors, smart glasses and wearables.

CTA is reviewing iFlytek, which CNET reported was on the list to attend CES 2020, the group said about Chinese surveillance companies flagged for human rights violations. “It’s something we’re continuing to look into,” CES Executive Vice President Karen Chupka told us Thursday. The association didn't comment on Hikvision’s Ezviz, which CNET also singled out. Chupka also reviewed other CES 2020 plans (see 1911080045).

CES 2020 is expecting 4,500 exhibitors, including 1,200 startups, a CTA event in New York Thursday was told. CES Executive Vice President Karen Chupka highlighted trends for the Jan. 7-10 show including privacy, the 5G ecosystem, artificial intelligence and digital health. She referenced growth areas of smart cities and resilience that influence policy, transportation, municipalities, industry "and the planet." The association is piloting facial recognition for the upcoming show, Chupka said. Attendees can look at a camera and then have their badges printed at badge pickup locations, she said. The program is optional. The group also is working through which exhibitors will set up in the new hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center that’s expected to debut at CES 2021, Chupka told us.

Target is joining the holiday rush for smartphone deals. It's dealing on select Apple products on Black Friday weekend, giving away a $200 store gift card with the purchase and activation of iPhone 11 and X series phones on AT&T or Verizon beginning Friday at 7 a.m. Samsung mobile deals include a $400 Target gift card with the purchase of a Galaxy S10, S10 Plus or Note10 Plus with qualified activation from Thanksgiving through the following Sunday, said Target's advertisement. The Samsung Galaxy smartwatch is a Black Friday doorbuster at $80 off to $249. Google smartphones will be a Target deal from Thanksgiving when doors open at 5 p.m. through Sunday, netting customers who buy the Pixel 4 or 4 XL smartphones a $300 gift card with activation; they can get a $550 Target gift card buying the Pixel 3 or 3 XL. Carriers are getting into the mix. Sprint is leveraging its monthly phone plans to amortize the cost of an Apple Watch, taking the sting out of the $499 sticker price. The wireless carrier is rolling in the cost of a Series 5 Apple Watch for as little as $10.42 monthly on a 24-month contract, knocking half off the overall price. Samsung pitched customers by email Monday with the subject line: “Early holiday deals are almost here.” Customers were encouraged to “let us know what you're looking for this season” so they will be among the first to know when holiday deals drop. Within minutes of replying, we had an email from Samsung pitching free Galaxy Buds and a Galaxy Fit tracker with the purchase of a 512 GB Galaxy S10 smartphone. We could get $100 in Samsung credit, along with four months free of a YouTube Premium subscription by buying a Galaxy Tab S6 tablet. We were offered $600 on a Note10 or S10 with an eligible trade-in of an iPhone, Galaxy or Pixel smartphone. The iPhone XS Max and Galaxy S10 plus showed highest trade-in value, $600, for a limited time, at the Samsung website.

Industry watchers see the new wave of direct-to-consumer (DTC) video streaming services as further pain for the pay-TV market, with AppleTV Plus having launched Friday, Disney Plus set to launch next week, AT&T’s HBO Now due in May and NBC Universal's Peacock service expected in April, ad-supported and free.

Fitbit agreed to be bought by Google in a cash deal valued at $2.1 billion, as expected (see 1910290049). Fitbit will remain platform-agnostic and “strong privacy and security guidelines” won’t change, it said Friday. “The company never sells personal information, and Fitbit health and wellness data will not be used for Google ads.” Fitbit always had strong privacy and security guidelines “and this will not change,” it said: Users will continue to be in control of their data.