HBO will leave the Amazon Channels once its placement deal ends in 2021, reports CNBC.
That was part of the concession to ensure HBO Max landed on Amazon Fire TV according to the report.
WarnerMedia, the parent company, wants a direct relationship with HBO and HBO Max users. It prefers the HBO Max app exist as users only point of entry.
This exclusivity is part of WarnerMedia’s relationship with customers. But it is also a bottom-line economic necessity. User information is vital for future ad-targeting efforts, since an AVOD version of HBO Max is expected next year.
Such specifics were part of the larger negotiations between Warner and Amazon, which allowed HBO Max to roll out on Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets on Tuesday, six months after the streamer’s debut.
The HBO app on Fire TV and Fire tablets automatically becomes the HBO Max app; customers can access with their existing HBO credentials. New customers can subscribe to HBO Max directly in the app.
For now, those who buy HBO through Amazon Channels can log onto HBO Max with their Amazon credentials via the HBO Max app. That may change once HBO/Amazon’s expiration date is hit.
HBO Max is still in talks to appear on Roku, but is available using AirPlay, which recently rolled out on their streaming players.
New HBO Max customers can subscribe directly in the app on supported devices, for $14.99/month.