iWorld
Disney and StarHub to launch mobile video streaming
MUMBAI: Disney fans in Singapore can now watch all their favourite Disney programmes, including exclusive branded content, whenever and wherever they want.
The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia together with StarHub on 7 December will launch a new mobile video streaming service via a suite of three new innovative entertainment apps – WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD, and WATCH Disney Junior.
The WATCH Disney apps will provide authenticated StarHub TV customers with access to Disney’s existing live, television network streams, exclusive and first-hand content, as well as an extensive offering of premiere ‘on demand’ episodes.
Disney fans can also view all popular television series such as Phineas and Ferb, Disney Junior’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Disney XD’s Avengers Assemble on the go and will also be able to access new episodes of selected shows on the WATCH apps first before it launches on the TV channel.
At the launch, the channel’s original animation Wander over Yonder, created by award-winning animator Craig McCracken, will be available first on the WATCH Disney Channel app before its television premiere. New live-action series Mighty Med, a Disney XD original series will be available exclusively on the WATCH Disney XD app from February 2014.
The free WATCH Disney apps feature a fun and engaging online environment, designed around Disney characters and custom animation on a simple, child-friendly user interface. Apart from streaming of live TV channels and on-demand content, there’s also the episodes catch-up function. The app provides language options to the viewers.
“We’re excited to offer Disney fans of all ages more opportunities to watch, interact, personalise and enjoy our Disney shows when and where they want it,” said TWDC SEA general manager, branded media content Natasha Malhotra in a release.
“The WATCH Disney Channels apps are kid-friendly, easy to use and provide kids and families access to the live streaming channels along with a robust selection of content ‘On Demand’ at home or ‘On-The-Go’ for authenticated StarHub subscribers,” she added.
StarHub TV customers can stream the channel live on the multiscreen service ‘StarHub TV Anywhere’ which includes the WATCH Disney apps on iOS devices such as the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
“We are excited to be the only pay TV operator in Singapore to bring Disney’s signature content to viewers on multiple screens via the WATCH apps as part of our ‘StarHub TV Anywhere’ service offering. We are constantly working with brands such as Disney to find innovative ways to delight our customers and the WATCH apps exemplify our efforts to provide a ubiquitous viewing experience for them,” said StarHub head of home solutions Lin Shu Fen in the release.
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
