Search results
Max, formerly (and in some regions still) known as HBO Max, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. It is a proprietary unit of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Games, which is itself a division of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). [2]
Jan 5, 2022 · After a rocky start, AT&T says its HBO Max streaming service is the No. 2 service in the U.S. in terms of revenue and subscribers. HBO, HBO Max subscribers top 73.8 million worldwide - Los Angeles ...
- meg.james@latimes.com
- Senior Entertainment Writer
- Overview
- 1. HBO Max turns into Max on May 23
- 2. Max will cost more than HBO Max for 4K streaming
- 3. Discovery Plus will continue as a stand-alone service
- 4. The new Max app will bring some big changes
- 5. New shows will include a decade-long Harry Potter series
- 6. Max will finally get a fourth season of True Detective
- 7. Other originals will include The Penguin (in 2024)
- Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
News
By Mark Wilson
last updated 23 May 2023
What's changed and what shows are en route?
(Image credit: Warner Bros. Discovery)
HBO Max subscribers knew it was coming, but one of the world's best streaming services has now officially merged with Discovery Plus to make a new super-streamer called Max.
The new Max streaming service from Warner Bros. Discovery launches in the US on Tuesday May 23, 2023 – and if you're an existing HBO Max subscriber, you won't need to do anything to continue watching your favorite shows.
HBO Max has now officially become Max. But what does that mean if you're an existing subscriber? It depends where you usually use the streaming service.
If you're on Roku, Amazon, Cox, Vizio TV or Xfinity, you can simply find the Max app using the search function and open it. You apparently shouldn't need to sign in on devices where HBO Max was already installed.
For those who previously used HBO Max on Android, Apple, DirecTV, LG TV, PlayStation, Samsung TV or Xbox, you should instead open the existing HBO Max app and choose 'Download'.
If you already subscribe to HBO Max, there won't be any changes to your subscription price with Max – but the new service will make 4K streaming exclusive to a new higher tier, which is something of a downgrade.
Previously, there were two HBO Max plans. The cheapest 'With Ads' plan cost $9.99 a month (or $99.99 annually), while the 'Ad-Free' plan cost $15.99 a month (or $149.99 annually). As you can see below, the new Max service offers near-identical plans called 'Ad-Lite' and 'Ad Free', with a couple of changes.
First, rather than being able to stream on three devices simultaneously, this will drop to two devices on those first two plans below. Also, in worse news for those who are already on HBO Max's 'Ad-Free' plan, 4K streaming will instead only be available in a new 'Max Ultimate Ad Free' plan ($19.99/month or $199.99/year).
Swipe to scroll horizontally
That 'Max Ultimate Ad Free' plan is definitely the one for those who want 4K with HDR and Dolby Atmos then. But it isn't yet clear exactly which shows will be available to stream in that quality beyond Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and The Dark Knight Trilogy.
HBO Max doesn't stream all of its shows in 4K resolution, with older ones tending to be limited to HD. But the newly merged company has promised that "all Warner Bros. movies released this year and going forward will also be available in 4K UHD when they arrive on Max".
Warner Bros. Discovery haven't fully merged HBO Max and Discovery Plus into a single super-streamer. Instead, the new Max streaming service mashes all of HBO Max together with "a selection of Discovery favorites".
This means that Discovery Plus will continue to be a standalone streaming option with the same pricing as usual ($4.99 per month with ads, or $6.99 per month without). So if you've previously subscribed to both HBO Max and Discovery Plus, you will unfortunately need to continue paying for both to see all content.
The new Max app, which launched on May 23, should deliver some improvements over the current HBO Max offering, according to Warner Bros. Discovery.
The streaming giant promised a better video playback experience on the service, plus an improved recommendations engine and greater personalization that goes beyond the homepage.
Those recommendations are apparently powered by some more powerful machine learning, while extra page furniture – including shortcuts, dedicated hubs and streamlined categories – could deliver a boost on the old HBO Max app experience.
While that all sounds good in theory, we'll need to have more of a play with the app to see if it's a genuine improvement. One bonus that does sound useful for parents, though, is the new default kids profile for new subscribers, with some parental controls. That should help prevent toddlers from accidentally tuning into the The Last of Us, at least.
To help build some excitement about its new Max streaming service, Warner Bros. Discovery announced a slew of new TV shows that are coming to the service – with the most notable arguably being a new Harry Potter series.
We've already rounded up the 7 new movies and TV shows that are arriving on Max launch day, but the Harry Potter series is arguably the biggest one that's coming down the Max pipeline.
A year ago we heard that a fourth season of True Detective, starring Jodie Foster, was en route. But now we've finally got our first look at the new series, which will land on Max, thanks to a new teaser.
True Detective: Night Country will be something of a reboot for the series, taking place in an icy Alaska. Foster plays Detectives Liz Danvers, who has been asked to solve the case of the disappearance of six men who operate a nearby research station.
Aside from the new Harry Potter TV series, the new Max service will deliver another Game of Thrones spin-off called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, plus a new comedy series from The Big Bang Theory. But perhaps the most intriguing is a new The Penguin series, which is slated to arrive in 2024.
This will build on Colin Farrell's interpretation of the supervillain from The Batman and is now in production, as you can see from the teaser above. Naturally, it looks dark, gritty and most likely worth the long wait.
Get the hottest deals available in your inbox plus news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more from the TechRadar team.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
Jan 10, 2024 · The new-ish service combines the libraries of HBO Max and Discovery+ into one mega streaming service, much like the Warner Bros. and Discovery merger in 2022 created one mega entertainment company.
Jul 25, 2024 · Max is a streaming service with content from HBO, Warner Bros, and Discovery Plus. ... to series like "The Last of Us ... cable or satellite TV provider get access to ad-free Max with HD streaming ...
- Henry Blodget
- Max is Warner Bros. Discovery's new streaming service, which serves as a rebranding, expansion, and replacement of the previous HBO Max platform. M...
- Max is available at three different pricing tiers, all of which include the entire library of Max content. Max Ad-lite: $10/month or $100/year for...
- You can sign up for Max right now through Max website. The service is also available through partner platforms like Prime Video and Hulu. Existing...
- Max offers everything HBO Max had, in addition to tons of popular content from Discovery Plus, like shows from Food Network, HGTV, TLC, ID, and mor...
- HBO Max subscribers were automatically switched over to Max when the app updated on May 23; some users may need to manually download the new Max ap...
- As was the case with HBO Max, most viewers who already have HBO through their cable or satellite TV provider get access to Max for no additional co...
- Current Discovery Plus subscribers need not be concerned about the launch of Max. If you're a member right now, you can keep your Discovery Plus me...
- Max is home to content that used to require two subscriptions to view: HBO Max and Discovery Plus. The library includes a huge catalog pulled from...
May 22, 2023 · The streaming service formerly known as HBO Max is officially relaunched as Max, which combines existing programming, such as "House of the Dragon," with content from Discovery+ ("The Property ...
People also ask
What is HBO Max?
Is HBO Max the No 2 streaming service in the US?
Is Max a streaming service?
What's new with HBO Max & Discovery+?
Will HBO Max relaunch in 2023?
Is HBO SVOD the same as HBO Max?
Max has the HBO Max movies and series that you already love, plus an expanded catalog with favorites from Discovery. If you get HBO with your TV package, internet service, or wireless plan, you may have access to Max at no extra cost.
