HBO Go app update allows users to stream content to Apple TV over AirPlay [u]
At the 
Dive Into Media conference on Tuesday, HBO CEO Eric Kessler announced that subscribers using the company's "HBO GO" iOS app will be able to stream content from the iPhone or iPad to their TVs via Apple's AirPlay protocol.
Update: Alongside the HBO Go update, Cinemax's MAX Go app has also been updated with AirPlay streaming capabilities.
The HBO Go update is already live in the iOS App Store, bringing AirPlay support current subscribers of the cable service on devices running iOS 6 and Apple TVs running software update 5.1.1 or later.
?Our long-term goal for Go is to be on all devices and all platforms,? Kessler said, adding, ?We will get on Apple TV, as we?ve said all along.?
It was reported in January that Apple is in talks with the cable company to bring a version of HBO Go to the Apple TV, though a native app has yet to show up on the set-top streamer. While Kessler wouldn't pin down an exact date for such an upgrade, people familiar with the matter claim the alleged deal will bear fruit sometime in mid-2013.
As for the iOS app upgrade, HBO subscribers who also own an Apple TV can now stream over 600 hours of on-demand films, television shows and special features to their television sets over AirPlay. The app is universal, meaning any HBO subscriber with an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch can take advantage of the service.
Dive Into Media conference on Tuesday, HBO CEO Eric Kessler announced that subscribers using the company's "HBO GO" iOS app will be able to stream content from the iPhone or iPad to their TVs via Apple's AirPlay protocol.Update: Alongside the HBO Go update, Cinemax's MAX Go app has also been updated with AirPlay streaming capabilities.
The HBO Go update is already live in the iOS App Store, bringing AirPlay support current subscribers of the cable service on devices running iOS 6 and Apple TVs running software update 5.1.1 or later.
?Our long-term goal for Go is to be on all devices and all platforms,? Kessler said, adding, ?We will get on Apple TV, as we?ve said all along.?
It was reported in January that Apple is in talks with the cable company to bring a version of HBO Go to the Apple TV, though a native app has yet to show up on the set-top streamer. While Kessler wouldn't pin down an exact date for such an upgrade, people familiar with the matter claim the alleged deal will bear fruit sometime in mid-2013.
As for the iOS app upgrade, HBO subscribers who also own an Apple TV can now stream over 600 hours of on-demand films, television shows and special features to their television sets over AirPlay. The app is universal, meaning any HBO subscriber with an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch can take advantage of the service.
Comments
This is a good step, but I'd prefer to be able to subscribe to HBO directly for streaming content instead of giving my money to a cable company (which I don't do and haven't done for about a year and a half now). If HBO went this route, I think they'd see a huge subscriber increase.
Cut out the cable company middle-man? Yes please!
"... to stream to TVs content..." ? Seriously?
Don't hold your breath.
Quote:
Originally Posted by verucabong
This is a good step, but I'd prefer to be able to subscribe to HBO directly for streaming content instead of giving my money to a cable company (which I don't do and haven't done for about a year and a half now). If HBO went this route, I think they'd see a huge subscriber increase.
Cut out the cable company middle-man? Yes please!
That's probably easier said than done. HBO is heavily connected to various big cable companies, which customers pay a nice penny for. If HBO were to offer streaming directly, without going through cable, the price would almost certainly have to be much less than what they currently get in the cable world. They might gain some streaming customers, but they'd also lose a lot of cable customers IMO.
With streaming services like Netflix, people are used to such services costing less than $10 a month.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iSteelers
I am not familiar with HBO Go so how would this be different than just watching it on TV in the first place since you already need to be a subscriber? Is there some sort of on demand content that the app offers?
I have HBO on cable, and I also have HBO GO, which I can access through all of my Macs and iOS devices.
Yes, with HBO GO, you basically have access to their entire catalog.
Do you feel like sitting down and watching every single episode of The Wire, starting from episode 1 and up until the very last one? No problem with HBO GO.
HBO GO also offers interactive features on certain series. So if somebody wants to watch the newest episode of Game of Thrones while also getting additional info on the characters, plots and behind the scenes, they are free to do so.
Just about every show that's been on HBO is on HBO GO. Wanna watch all the episodes of The Sopranos? You won't find it on VOD but it's on HBO GO. A short lived but funny C K Louis sitcom is on there that I've never seen on VOD. There's just TONS more content.
Edit: Because Apple ][ used The Wire I changed mine to The Sopranos.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dasanman69
Just about every show that's been on HBO is on HBO GO. Wanna watch all the episodes of The Sopranos? You won't find it on VOD but it's on HBO GO. A short lived but funny C K Louis sitcom is on there that I've never seen on VOD. There's just TONS more content.
Edit: Because Apple ][ used The Wire I changed mine to The Sopranos.
Yes, but there's no reason why all the titles in HBO GO can't also be on VOD on the cable systems and/or there's no reason why HBO GO can't be an application on most modern TVs with web access these days. My bet is that iOS versions of HBO GO are far more compressed than VOD. Assuming the same content can be in both places, it doesn't make sense to me to "project" my iPhone to my TV using Airplay.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoetmb
My bet is that iOS versions of HBO GO are far more compressed than VOD.
You'd lose, if you placed your bet on my cable system.
I'm on Time Warner, and HBO VOD is pure crap, because it's not even HD. Regular, live HBO channels are full HD, but I never choose to watch anything HBO through VOD, because of the crap quality. Anything that is not full HD on my cable box is a complete waste of time.
VOD is run by the cable company and has only so much space for a plethora of channels. HBO doesn't have to worry about limitations with HBO GO, they can offer all their content without restrictions from anyone.
You do know that ABC, NBC, and FOX all run Hulu Plus. What could Apple do that they haven't already laid the ground work for?
You could take your iOS device to a friend's house that doesn't have HBO/Cinemax, but has an Apple TV for viewing parties, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by godrifle
I'd buy HBO as a monthly AppleTV subscription if it were untethered from cable. But I won't pay inflated cable prices for a bunch of channels I don't watch. Hello, HBO, are you listening?
No, they're not. Please, look it up: who owns HBO? There you go.
It's going to be a long time before you can get HBO without subscribing to premium cable. The owners have vested interests in both - vertical integration. The only reason this is happening is that only HBO cable subscribers can access HBOGO, so there's no net loss of cable subscribers due to this enhanced access - only more reasons for people to stay addicted to HBO and its required cable subscription, and they might even attract more premium subscribers because of the bigger library available on HBOGO, now viewable on ATV. HBO is not going to do anything resulting in a net loss of cable subscribers, period. There's probably millions of people who only subscribe to cable because of HBO, and if they all switched to HBOGO-only, Time Warner could not charge as much to their other content providers, and the whole thing could start to unravel.
Ever hear of HBO Nordic?
Quote:
Originally Posted by iSteelers
I am not familiar with HBO Go so how would this be different than just watching it on TV in the first place since you already need to be a subscriber? Is there some sort of on demand content that the app offers?
Apparently it includes the back catalog of all HBO shows to watch anytime