HBO Now standalone streaming service launching exclusively on Apple devices for $14.99/mo.

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited March 2015
The new HBO Now streaming service will launch exclusively on Apple devices, including Apple TV, iPhones, and iPad in April for $14.99 per month.




When it launches next month on Apple devices, the first month of HBO Now will be free for users who subscribe in the month of April. The subscription will include all acclaimed original programming from the network's past, present and future.

HBO Now has been highly anticipated, as users will no longer need to have a traditional cable TV plan to access the premium network. Richard Plepler, CEO of HBO, was on hand for Monday's event and called the deal a "transformative moment for HBO."

Piepler also used the stage to debut a new trailer for the upcoming fifth season of Game of Thrones. The season premiere will air on April 8, and HBO Now subscribers will be able to view it for free.

There is no word on how long HBO Now will remain exclusive to Apple, and details of the financial relationship between Apple and HBO were not announced. HBO is said to be using streaming technology from MLB Advanced Media, which also powers the existing MLB app on the Apple TV.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 38
    supadav03supadav03 Posts: 504member
    Awesome news. This will be a big feather in AppleTV's cap. Getting closer and closer to the day I can drop my cable subscription
  • Reply 2 of 38

    This price really suprises me.  I'm wondering what will happen to the cable/satellite companies prices.  DirecTV charges $18/month right now, I may cancel and switch to HBO Now if they don't keep giving me discounts on it (3 months free right now).

  • Reply 3 of 38
    dtm1212dtm1212 Posts: 11member
    $14.99 per month? Yeah good luck with that HBO.
  • Reply 4 of 38
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    dtm1212 wrote: »
    $14.99 per month? Yeah good luck with that HBO.

    And much of it they'll have especially with a new season of Game of Thrones around the corner.
  • Reply 5 of 38
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dtm1212 View Post



    $14.99 per month? Yeah good luck with that HBO.



    for folks who keep cable around just to pay another 10 or 12 bucks for HBO will find this less expensive.

  • Reply 6 of 38
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member

    I really don't think the $14.99 price is bad at all. So much great material HBO has to offer. 

  • Reply 7 of 38
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Boltsfan17 View Post

     

    I really don't think the $14.99 price is bad at all. So much great material HBO has to offer.


    I agree, especially if you don't have to subscribe for multiple months or a year at a time.

     

    Wait until the season finale of GOT and then subscribe for one month and binge-watch it, then cancel.  Do the same thing the next season, or for other shows, etc.

  • Reply 8 of 38
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Boltsfan17 View Post

     

    I really don't think the $14.99 price is bad at all. So much great material HBO has to offer.


    Absolutely.  This is a cord cutters dream (for those in the USA...).  Right now you have to pay about $50 min cable/satellite/IPTV package to be able to get HBO content.  

     

    Nothing will satisfy those that expect to get all the content ever produced for a couple of bucks (if not free).  

  • Reply 9 of 38
    Add me to the chorus... $15? I can get it from cable for $10. Why would I switch? Is this going to be the future, paying more money for individual channels we want and ultimately paying more for less than we get now with cable? I hate my cable company, but HBO is not helping me leave them with this high subscription fee.
  • Reply 10 of 38
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    mackymoto wrote: »
    Add me to the chorus... $15? I can get it from cable for $10. Why would I switch? Is this going to be the future, paying more money for individual channels we want and ultimately paying more for less than we get now with cable? I hate my cable company, but HBO is not helping me leave them with this high subscription fee.

    Of course you're going to pay more.
  • Reply 11 of 38
    zoolookzoolook Posts: 657member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dtm1212 View Post



    $14.99 per month? Yeah good luck with that HBO.

     

    HBO content is top notch, although it does seem high compared to Netflix which has it's own premium content.

     

    I will definitely pay it.

  • Reply 12 of 38
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MackyMoto View Post



    Add me to the chorus... $15? I can get it from cable for $10. Why would I switch? Is this going to be the future, paying more money for individual channels we want and ultimately paying more for less than we get now with cable? I hate my cable company, but HBO is not helping me leave them with this high subscription fee.



    hint: this is for people who don't have cable.

     

    and ala cart pricing is for people who don't intend to use the "buffet" model. i don't eat at buffets, and i don't need a bunch of channels. netflix + hbo = cheaper than cable.

     

    if you need a bunch of channels then you're better off and free to stick with buffet pricing.

  • Reply 13 of 38

    There are people without cable?  ;-)

  • Reply 14 of 38
    carthusiacarthusia Posts: 585member

    I'll pay it. Right now I have the lowest tier cable package on top of internet from Time Warner. I also pay for Hulu+ and Netflix, about $8 bucks each. I rent iTunes movies and tv shows from time to time, all through Apple TV. Add HBO Now to that and I have all I need.

     

    I could get rid of cable complete and just get internet, but that low tier package also offers free on demand for a lot of network programming I don't pay for. 

     

    I'll catch up on as much HBO content as I can over summer break and then get rid of it.

  • Reply 15 of 38
    redhotfuzzredhotfuzz Posts: 313member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MackyMoto View Post



    Add me to the chorus... $15? I can get it from cable for $10. Why would I switch?

     

    I just dropped my DirecTV subscription ($110/mo) and have been using Hulu ($8/mo) and Netflix ($8/mo).  If I add HBO ($15/mo) I'm still saving big over my old DirecTV subscription, with which I didn't even have HBO.

     

    Live sports are the only real downside right now.

  • Reply 16 of 38
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,851member
    I wonder if it allows user log in like Netflix so different users can simultaneously share the same account and watch different shows?
  • Reply 17 of 38

    I know with HBO Go you can log in at different locations even at the same time.  People online talked about giving out their logins/passwords to firends and HBO was aware and ok with it.  Not sure if that will happen with this though.  Wouldn't be suprised to see the $15/mo is for one stream at a time, and if you want more than that you have to pay more.

  • Reply 18 of 38
    Countries that are not the USA?
  • Reply 19 of 38

    $15 is a bit steep, but it depends on what this means: 

    Quote:


    The subscription will include all acclaimed original programming from the network's past, present and future.


     

    If you can access all their historical content from any device within that price, then it's not nearly as bad. They have a ton of great content in both series and movies. I wish it was less than that of course, and we'll have to see how their HBO-only offerings compete with Netflix at that price range.

     

    Just pondering...

  • Reply 20 of 38
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by nicwalmsley View Post



    Countries that are not the USA?



    Probably NOT, considering that they make tons of money getting exclusive licensing from European countries. But boy do we all wish.

Sign In or Register to comment.