As the pandemic has presented media companies with a need to rearrange their industry, Warner Media recently announced their forthcoming feature films will be simultaneously released both in theaters and on their streaming platform, HBO Max. For the general public, it means die-hard moviegoers can risk spreading COVID-19 in the theaters for the full cinematic experience, while those unwilling to take that risk can enjoy box office hits from the comfort of their own homes (we hope you choose the latter).
HBO Max launched on May 27, confusing the masses due to the pre-existing services of HBOGo, HBO NOW, and HBO on cable and on demand. Here’s what you will need to know so you can watch the upcoming 2021 blockbuster films.
Depending what type of access you’ve had to HBO, there are different ways to access the HBO Max app. But for starters, perhaps the first thing to note is that HBO Go is no longer active (the website and app). HBO Now is simply HBO, accessible at play.hbonow.com. HBO Now is not HBO Max.
If you have HBO through your cable provider, and it also supports HBO Max, you can access the latter at no extra cost. Download the app and choose “sign in through TV or mobile provider.” (Since AT&T owns HBO, you also get HBO Max access if you’re paying for HBO through AT&T or if you’re paying for one of AT&T’s premium wirelesss plans.)
If you had a paid subscription to HBO Now, you should be able to use your login credentials to access HBO Max (on supported subscription platforms). The two services aren’t identical; you’ll find more content on HBO Max than HBO. More on that in a bit. Also, you can’t get HBO Max on your Roku as an app, so if that’s more important to you than content, you’ll have to stick with the legacy experience.
To sign up for HBO Max, just visit hbomax.com and click “sign up now.” You can pay $14.99 a month or prepay $69.99 for six months of service, saving 20% on the regular monthly payments. The prepay option is only available until January 15, 2021. There is no free trial (as of when we wrote this).
The same content you would find through HBO with cable and on demand is still available on HBO Max. So why might you need HBO Max? One important answer is a clarification: HBO Max isn’t just HBO content, it’s actually Warner Media’s full streaming platform—and WarnerMedia owns a lot more than just HBO, from Crunchyroll to Cinemax to DC Entertainment. It’s only named after HBO because, well, I imagine it’s the perfect, recognizable brand for prestige TV. If you’re only streaming via the legacy HBO website or app, not HBO Max, you won’t get all this extra WarnerMedia stuff.
The streaming service also makes watching your favorite HBO programs easier on the go, and provides customization for your personal preferences. You can have your own profile and create a watchlist for easy access to your favorite shows, along with multiple profiles.
As of December 2020, you can watch HBO Max on the following:
Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch (with iOS 12.2 or later)
Android phone and tablets (with Android OS 5 or later)
Amazon Fire tablets (4th generation and later)
Any Mac, Windows, or Chromebook PC running Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge (Windows), Edge Chromium, or Safari (12 or later).
Amazon Fire TV devices (with Fire OS 5.3.6 or later)
Android TV with Android OS 5 or later
Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD with the latest tvOS software
PlayStation 4
Compatible Samsung TVs
Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
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