New Max Streaming Service Will Move 4K Content to Higher-Priced Tier; Plan Also Increases Number of Downloads
HBO Max customers might have been a little surprised to learn that Max — the new Warner Bros. Discovery streaming service launching May 23 that will combine most of the content from HBO Max and discovery+ — will not be accompanied by a price increase when it launches.
The service will roll out with the same price tiers HBO Max currently has: $9.99 per month for ad-lite streaming and $15.99 for ad-free. However, WBD also announced that it will launch a higher-priced option that will offer more features called the “Ultimate” plan, which will retail at $19.99 per month.
What will likely anger users the most in this announcement is the migration of 4K content from the ad-free tier onto the Ultimate tier. Previously, subscribers to HBO Max’s ad-free tier could watch select titles in the 3840x2160-pixel screen resolution offered by 4K. Starting May 23 when Max officially launches, those users will have to shell out an extra $4 per month if they want to watch HBO content in Ultra High Definition.
To sweeten the pot a little, WBD is also increasing the number of titles that users can download to watch offline on the Ultimate plan. That limit is now 100 individual episodes or movies for Ultimate users, as compared to 30 titles for ad-free customers — the same number they were allowed to have before Max was announced. WBD did not announce any changes to the amount of time users have to watch a downloaded title on Max; currently customers must either watch a title within 30 days of their initial download or finish a downloaded show or movie 48 hours after starting it.
Users of the ad-supported plan cannot download shows or movies at this time, which represents a continuation of HBO Max’s policy. It’s also standard operating procedure across the streaming industry.
The number of users who are allowed to watch Max simultaneously also increases on the Ultimate plan. Both HBO Max with ads and the service’s ad-free plan limit the number of devices able to stream simultaneously to three. With the Ultimate plan, you and your family will be able to watch Max on up to four devices at once.
If that’s still not enough to convince you not to leave the service thanks to the migration of 4K streaming to the Ultimate plan, you may want to check out the huge amount of new content coming to Max in the next few years. Highlights include a new decade-long “Harry Potter” TV series, as well as another “Game of Thrones” prequel, a new season of “True Detective,” more titles from Chip and Joanna Gaines, a behind-the-scenes look at the hugely popular “Smartless” podcast, and much more.
There will also be a bigger focus on kids and family content on Max as compared to HBO Max. WBD is clearly trying to appeal as widely as possible with Max when it rolls out on May 23, but if you want to watch titles in UHD 4K, you’ll have to sign up for the service’s new Ultimate plan.
Max
Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
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