HBO recently replaced the HBO Now with HBO Max. The new streaming service is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. HBO Max seems to offer a larger collection of shows and movies as opposed to the HBO Now. The list includes all the seasons of Game of Thrones, The Big Bang Theory, and Friends.
HBO Max Pricing and Availability
HBO Mac is priced at $14.99/month and also gives you access to a bunch of originals. If you have already subscribed to HBO Now then there is no need to pay anything extra. In other words, HBO Max is free for HBO Now users. Meanwhile, the HBO Now app on your device will automatically be updated to HBO Max.
Priced at $14.99 HBO Max is arguably the most expensive streaming service on offer, however, the 10,000 hours of shows and popular licensed content are most likely worth the premium. A quick recap, recently launched Disney+ is priced at $6.99/month, Netflix plan starts at $9/month while Apple TV+ costs $4.99/month.
The switch from HBO Now to Max seems to be pretty seamless. According to the company, you can sign up for HBO Max with existing credentials. After the first login, you need to tap on ‘Access All of HBO Max’ in order to get access to all the shows. Furthermore, the HBO Now library will continue to exist within the app.
Thats not all, HBO cable subscribers from DIRECTV, AT&T, Cox Contour, Optimum, Spectrum, and Suddenlink will get free HBO Max streaming access.
HBO Max on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Thankfully the HBO Max app is available for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD. However, the HBO Now app has been removed from Apple TV Boxes which means you need to use AirPlay to cast the shows from the iPhone app to the TV/Projector. New users can also subscribe to HBO Max via in-app purchases. The HBO Max app can be downloaded from the App Store.
HBO Max Drawbacks
The HBO Max suffers from some shortcomings or drawbacks. Firstly, HBO has not been able to strike a deal with Roku or Amazon. So if you have purchased HBO Now via Roku or Amazon app then the app will simply stop working. Secondly, HBO Max boasts of very little original programming and none of the shows are available in 4K. Users might find it frustrating to be blocked from Amazon and Roku devices after paying $14.99 for HBO Max.
Did you subscribe to HBO Max? Share your experience in the comments below.
