It looks like Netflix is feeling the heat, as there are reports that it's moving up the release of its ad-supported to November. The company is pushing for an earlier release date, in part, to debut ahead of the ad-supported offering from Disney Plus, which is set to launch on December 8.

Netflix was originally planning to debut its new service tier in 2023, with a soft rollout planned towards the end of 2022. But now, plans have changed, with the company set to debut the service in multiple regions on November 1. According to Variety, its source states that the service will be available in the United States, Canada, the UK, France, and Germany. If it is able to launch early, it would have a little over a month's head start against Disney's December 8 launch. Netflix did not confirm these plans with Variety, only stating that it was working on the service and did not have concrete plans in place with regard to its launch.

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Ahead of its launch, Netflix is still in the process of sorting out its ad revenue model, with reports that it is requesting ad buyers to submit initial bids soon. It is asking for a commitment of at least $10 million in annual spending from ad partners. The company is trying to have everything settled by September 30 to launch on November 1. The firm has yet to land on a price for its ad-supporter tier, but reports have surfaced that it could cost anywhere from $7 to $9 per month.

Around the same time, Disney will also introduce its ad-supported tier for Disney Plus, which will cost $7.99 per month. Although the service has been losing money, it has recently added 14.4 million subscribers, giving it a total of 152.1 million subscribers. Disney is growing at a healthy rate, and despite its price increase, it should provide Netflix with healthy competition.

Source: Variety