The world may still be stuck at home, but the streaming wars continue with no regard for the coronavirus. Tomorrow, on May 27, arguably the…
The world may still be stuck at home, but the streaming wars continue with no regard for the coronavirus. Tomorrow, on May 27, arguably the biggest Netflix competitor of them all joins the battlefield: AT&T’s HBO Max.
The new souped-up Max service offers every show and movie available on HBO and adds a host of exclusive content from WarnerMedia and DC Comics. It will be home to popular shows such as Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Rick and Morty; classic films like Lord of the Rings, Casablanca and A Star Is Born; DC Comics movies like Joker and Wonder Woman; and kids’ content from Looney Toons and Sesame Street. HBO Max will also stream originals, including a new Justice League Dark series from J. Abrams, a Game of Thrones spin-off called House of the Dragon and a new Sesame Street show called The Not Too Late Show with Elmo. The HBO Max catalog is simply massive.
Max is priced at the same $14.99 per month that HBO already charges for a subscription, so current HBO subscribers might expect to be upgraded to it automatically. It’s not that simple. Here’s what we know about how HBO Max will be rolled out.
Millions of HBO Now customers will be upgraded to HBO Max automatically. After the service launches, many of those users will get an app update that simply transforms the HBO Now app into the HBO Max app. Many others will have to download the new HBO Max app manually on their device.
Whether you’re among those who get the upgrade depends on who handles your billing. HBO Now subscribers billed through the following providers qualify:
Millions more HBO Now subscribers don’t qualify. If you subscribe to HBO Now through a third-party service that isn’t Apple or Google — such as on a platform like Amazon Prime Video Channels or Roku, or through an internet provider — you won’t be upgraded to HBO Max (see below).
Unsure how you’re getting HBO? You can check by logging in on your phone or computer. Here’s how, according to HBO’s help guide:
1. After logging in, you need to head to the Profile section.
i. On a computer check the upper-right corner and choose the Profile icon.
ii. On a phone or tablet tap the Profile icon, then tap the Settings icon (upper-right corner).
2. Choose Billing Information and look for the following sentence: Your subscription is billed through _________.
