'Max' streaming service combines HBO Max & Discovery+, launches May 23

AppleInsider · April 12, 2023 5:42PM

The new service that combines HBO Max and Discovery+ has been officially announced and confirms the rumored "Max" name.

Warner Bros. Discovery

At a news conference on the Warner Bros. Studio property, Warner Bros. Discovery finally unveiled the announcement.

Initially announced in August 2022 after WarnerMedia merged with Discovery, executives made plans to launch a unified service to compete better with Apple TV+, Netflix, and other streaming services.

The original launch of the streamer wasn't set until the summer of 2023, but the company moved up the launch to May 23, according to Variety. The Discovery+ service will remain separate over concerns that the company would lose subscribers.

CEO David Zaslav confirmed the name of the combined service to be Max, which has long been rumored. Warner Bros. Discovery streaming chief JB Perrette revealed the May 23 launch date.

"Max is the one to watch, because it's home to shows that have a supersized effect on people and culture," Zaslav said during the presentation. "It's streaming's version of must-see TV."

Max prices

There will be several pricing tiers for the Max streamer.

Max Ad Lite for $9.99 a month or $99.99 per year

Max Ad Free for $15.99 a month or $149.99 per year

Max Ultimate Ad Free for $19.99 a month or $199.99 per year

The Max Ad-Lite plan will let users have two streams running at once, 1080p resolution for content and 5.1 surround sound quality. Meanwhile, the Max Ad Free plan has the same benefits and lets people have up to 30 offline downloads.

At the highest tier, the premium Max Ultimate Ad Free offers up to four simultaneous streams, up to 4K resolution, 100 maximum offline downloads, and Dolby Atmos sound quality.

Read on AppleInsider

robin huber · April 12, 2023 6:28PM

What is exactly on Discovery streaming that I can’t get on my Discovery cable channel? Unlimited reruns of Moonshiners? It seems to have become a repository for junk TV.

AppleZulu · April 12, 2023 6:35PM

I guess it shouldn't be surprising that, in addition to confirming the truly daft scenario already rumored prior to the announcement, they're also following Netflix's way-behind-the-curve practice of charging a premium for 4K screen resolution, which is the current standard minimum resolution for almost all TVs, except those that are too small to physically be able to tell the difference. Maybe they should charge extra for color TV pictures as well.

Many people currently have access to HBO Max, including 4K and Dolby Atmos sound, as part of their HBO subscription on cable. Which pricing tier will they be moved to on "Max"?

omasou · April 12, 2023 7:27PM

Though I have GB Internet and 4K TVs, I refuse to pay a premium for 4K streaming. Especially, since I wasn't seeing a better picture.

When Netflix announced the pricing change, I downgraded Netflix and let the TV upscale it.

When they figure out how to stream 4K and it looks like the TV demo reels then I'll consider it, maybe.

Question: Why would someone waste their money paying for both cable and HBO Max? Perhaps if you care about sports or local news?

anonymouse · April 12, 2023 7:56PM

So, HBO is one of the most recognized brand names in entertainment and they decided the best thing to do was delete that from their branding for streaming?

That would be like Apple renaming their service to just TV+

StrangeDays · April 12, 2023 7:57PM

$20 a month for 4K? Yeah F you too, dudes.

I read their NYT article explaining their rational in dropping “HBO” from the brand name and adding tons of crappy reality TV:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/11/business/media/max-streaming-warner-hbo.html

…they feel their audience is too limited due to be associated with high-quality programming. Insane. It’s like BMW saying they’d sell more cars if they made cheaper, crummier vehicles and then advertising that they not all about premium vehicles. Well, yeah. But that isn’t why your customers sought you out. That isn’t your brand.

Pandering to Wall Street customer growth numbers by execs with no vision. I won’t be renewing after my previous annual promo expires.

robin huber · April 12, 2023 9:36PM

StrangeDays said:

$20 a month for 4K? Yeah F you too, dudes.

I read their NYT article explaining their rational in dropping “HBO” from the brand name and adding tons of crappy reality TV:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/11/business/media/max-streaming-warner-hbo.html

…they feel their audience is too limited due to be associated with high-quality programming. Insane. It’s like BMW saying they’d sell more cars if they made cheaper, crummier vehicles and then advertising that they not all about premium vehicles. Well, yeah. But that isn’t why your customers sought you out. That isn’t your brand.

Pandering to Wall Street customer growth numbers by execs with no vision. I won’t be renewing after my previous annual promo expires.

They’ve joined the race to the bottom. May win.

StrangeDays · April 12, 2023 9:59PM

robin huber said:

StrangeDays said:

$20 a month for 4K? Yeah F you too, dudes.

I read their NYT article explaining their rational in dropping “HBO” from the brand name and adding tons of crappy reality TV:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/11/business/media/max-streaming-warner-hbo.html

…they feel their audience is too limited due to be associated with high-quality programming. Insane. It’s like BMW saying they’d sell more cars if they made cheaper, crummier vehicles and then advertising that they not all about premium vehicles. Well, yeah. But that isn’t why your customers sought you out. That isn’t your brand.

Pandering to Wall Street customer growth numbers by execs with no vision. I won’t be renewing after my previous annual promo expires.

They’ve joined the race to the bottom. May win.

Except they want to charge me *more*, to fund creation of all this low-quality content. No effing way…I was fine paying HBO a premium for premium stuff. But not an excessive amount to get me an all-you-can-eat buffet of slop.

sevenfeet · April 12, 2023 10:07PM

anonymouse said:

So, HBO is one of the most recognized brand names in entertainment and they decided the best thing to do was delete that from their branding for streaming?

That would be like Apple renaming their service to just TV+

I agree. When this was first rumored, I said to myself "why on Earth would they abandon a well known and liked brand name that's been around since 1972 (over 50 years!)." I may have only taken a marketing course or two in school, but this makes no sense. The only thing left of "HBO" is in the logo, and that looks like it was done by amateurs.

ITGUYINSD · April 12, 2023 10:38PM

robin huber said:

What is exactly on Discovery streaming that I can’t get on my Discovery cable channel? Unlimited reruns of Moonshiners? It seems to have become a repository for junk TV.

Same could be said for HBO Max. An occasional new series that's decent but how many times does one need to watch GoT or White Lotus? The rest is a repository for seen-a-million-times movies.

For me, I'm a Naked and Afraid addict. I seem to have a fetish for blurred butts, crotches and cleavage.

ITGUYINSD · April 12, 2023 10:46PM

StrangeDays said:

$20 a month for 4K? Yeah F you too, dudes.

I read their NYT article explaining their rational in dropping “HBO” from the brand name and adding tons of crappy reality TV:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/11/business/media/max-streaming-warner-hbo.html

…they feel their audience is too limited due to be associated with high-quality programming. Insane. It’s like BMW saying they’d sell more cars if they made cheaper, crummier vehicles and then advertising that they not all about premium vehicles. Well, yeah. But that isn’t why your customers sought you out. That isn’t your brand.

Pandering to Wall Street customer growth numbers by execs with no vision. I won’t be renewing after my previous annual promo expires.

Unfortunately, the NYTimes link is behind a paywall. No free viewing.

Japhey · April 12, 2023 11:06PM

ITGUYINSD said:

StrangeDays said:

$20 a month for 4K? Yeah F you too, dudes.

I read their NYT article explaining their rational in dropping “HBO” from the brand name and adding tons of crappy reality TV:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/11/business/media/max-streaming-warner-hbo.html

…they feel their audience is too limited due to be associated with high-quality programming. Insane. It’s like BMW saying they’d sell more cars if they made cheaper, crummier vehicles and then advertising that they not all about premium vehicles. Well, yeah. But that isn’t why your customers sought you out. That isn’t your brand.

Pandering to Wall Street customer growth numbers by execs with no vision. I won’t be renewing after my previous annual promo expires.

Unfortunately, the NYTimes link is behind a paywall. No free viewing.

Copy and paste the title into a search engine. Et voilà!

Japhey · April 12, 2023 11:14PM

This is their excuse for changing the name:

“Dropping HBO from the name is cementing that 'we're not just a home for premium programming,'" Alexander said. "'We're the home for anything you want to watch.'"

I suspect, however, that the real reason Is because “Max” is much easier to remember and pronounce for the international audience that they will aggressively court.

entropys · April 13, 2023 12:06AM

Sociopathic MBAs still trying to avoid outright consolidation of streaming services for their own career saving, ironically accelerating the cross ownership merging as they jack up prices and reduce quality of streaming.
just merge with Netflix, or let Amazon buy them out already.

ravnorodom · April 13, 2023 12:30PM

AppleZulu said:

I guess it shouldn't be surprising that, in addition to confirming the truly daft scenario already rumored prior to the announcement, they're also following Netflix's way-behind-the-curve practice of charging a premium for 4K screen resolution, which is the current standard minimum resolution for almost all TVs, except those that are too small to physically be able to tell the difference. Maybe they should charge extra for color TV pictures as well.

Many people currently have access to HBO Max, including 4K and Dolby Atmos sound, as part of their HBO subscription on cable. Which pricing tier will they be moved to on "Max"?

I have HBO Max for free from my carrier's unlimited data plan. I barely watch them and never mind subscribing it. Don't care much about 4K. Maybe if I have 60in plus TV then maybe I do.

ravnorodom · April 13, 2023 12:44PM

The first time I heard HBO was back in 1980s. I guess it makes sense to change the name to Max to include Discovery. Home Box Office (HBO) sounds so nichey now.

anonymouse · April 13, 2023 2:39PM

I think John Gruber got this exactly right as to what HBO should have done:

Disney set the example Warner Bros. Discovery should have followed, with Disney+ and Hulu as separate apps, but priced together in a bundle. Disney isn’t relegating Disney+ content into a mere tab in the Hulu app, nor are they allowing Hulu’s content to dilute the prestigious Disney brand in the Disney+ app.

https://daringfireball.net/2023/04/warner_max

Alrescha · April 13, 2023 3:56PM

anonymouse said:

So, HBO is one of the most recognized brand names in entertainment and they decided the best thing to do was delete that from their branding for streaming?

I've been incredulous about brand choices ever since International Harvester decided to change their name to 'Navistar'. Words fail me (well, nice words. There are several expletives that come to mind).

Appleish · April 13, 2023 4:13PM

They have made so many customer hostile decisions in the last couple of year. Now, they are giving hundreds of millions to an infamous transphobe to develop a series. Our plan runs out next month. We keep three streaming services active at a time. They will not be one of them.

StrangeDays · April 13, 2023 5:18PM

ITGUYINSD said:

StrangeDays said:

$20 a month for 4K? Yeah F you too, dudes.

I read their NYT article explaining their rational in dropping “HBO” from the brand name and adding tons of crappy reality TV:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/11/business/media/max-streaming-warner-hbo.html

…they feel their audience is too limited due to be associated with high-quality programming. Insane. It’s like BMW saying they’d sell more cars if they made cheaper, crummier vehicles and then advertising that they not all about premium vehicles. Well, yeah. But that isn’t why your customers sought you out. That isn’t your brand.

Pandering to Wall Street customer growth numbers by execs with no vision. I won’t be renewing after my previous annual promo expires.

Unfortunately, the NYTimes link is behind a paywall. No free viewing.

Not for me, I don’t pay for it but can read it.

StrangeDays · April 13, 2023 5:27PM

ravnorodom said:

The first time I heard HBO was back in 1980s. I guess it makes sense to change the name to Max to include Discovery. Home Box Office (HBO) sounds so nichey now.

It doesn’t make sense at all. HBO is a strong brand synonymous with premium content and quality programming, going back to their old slogan. “Max” is generic and meaningless.

Gruber astute as ever:

HBO’s old slogan was “It’s not TV. It’s HBO”. That slogan captured HBO’s prestige: unedited major motion pictures, best-of-breed original content, all without commercial interruptions. HBO’s new slogan might as well be “It’s not TV. It’s a tab somewhere in the Max app.”

https://daringfireball.net/2023/04/warner_max

'Max' streaming service combines HBO Max & Discovery+, launches May 23

Max prices

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