LAS VEGAS-Following signs of “astronomical” growth in its wireless data offerings in the United States, Walt Disney Co. plans to add a new Internet promotional site, as well as new wireless content based on Disney’s Pixar movies, including “Finding Nemo” and “Toy Story.”
Although he wouldn’t give specifics, Disney’s Larry Shapiro said the company has seen significant growth in its wireless data business during the past year. Shapiro said such growth is notable because Disney counted no wireless revenues in the U.S. market last year. Indeed, Disney has greatly expanded its wireless offerings in the United States during the past 12 months, including new deals with Verizon Wireless for its BREW application download service. Shapiro heads the company’s Walt Disney Internet Group, the division that manages Disney wireless content.
Disney plans to next month launch its Disney Mobile Internet site, which will be linked to the main Disney.com Web site. The Disney Mobile site will essentially outline all of the company’s wireless offerings in the U.S. market and will link to various carrier Web sites to detail its offerings. The site will also include specific information on the content, including how and where to purchase it, as an attempt to educate Disney’s user base to the potential of the wireless medium.
“It’s a means of marketing and selling content,” Shapiro said. “There’s a whole learning process that we will have to help with.”
Shapiro said Disney.com counts millions of daily visitors, and the company expects significant interest in the Disney Mobile site.
Interestingly, Sprint PCS users will have a unique way to pay for Disney’s wireless content. Sprint Internet surfers will be able to purchase Disney-branded Java games from the Disney Mobile site by authorizing purchases with their mobile-phone numbers. Surfers can select Java applications they wish to purchase and will then be prompted to enter their phone numbers. The service will then send text messages to their phones asking to authorize the purchase. If users respond with a “yes,” the Java application will then be sent to their phones, and their accounts will be billed for the transaction. Shapiro said Disney is encouraging the other wireless carriers to implement such a service.
Separately from its Disney Mobile offering, Shapiro said the company also plans to offer content based on Disney’s deal with computer animation company Pixar. Disney counts several hit movies through the deal, including “Toy Story” and “Finding Nemo.” Shapiro said Disney will use technology from UIEvolution to offer the content, thus cutting the development time from several months to a few weeks. UIEvolution has already created several Disney content offerings.
