HBO Max is Finally Coming to Fire TVs and Fire Tablets, App Will Be Available Tomorrow
Finally, HBO Max and Amazon have struck a deal and the WarnerMedia-backed streaming service will be launching on Amazon Fire TVs as well as Fire Tablets, beginning tomorrow, Nov. 17. The two companies had been negotiating the terms of their distribution deal since before the streamer’s launch back in May.
At launch, current subscribers of HBO through Amazon’s Prime Video Channels will be able to log in to the HBO Max app with their Amazon credentials at no additional cost. The HBO app on Fire TV and Fire tablets will automatically update to become the HBO Max app; customers will be able to log in using their existing HBO credentials. New customers can also subscribe to HBO Max directly in the app. Additionally, all existing HBO Max customers—regardless of how they subscribe to the platform—can now access all of HBO Max via supported Fire TV and Fire tablet devices using their existing provider credentials.
“We are very excited that Amazon customers will now be able to enjoy the best-in-class content that lives within HBO Max,” said Tony Goncalves, head of sales and distribution for WarnerMedia. “Our continued goal is to make HBO Max and its unparalleled content available to customers across all the devices they love. Fire TV is a favorite among customers and we look forward to working with the Amazon team to engage and grow our existing subscriber base by showcasing all that HBO Max has to offer.”
The news comes just as HBO Max is set to add to their original content line up. This month, the streamer is set to premiere “The Flight Attendant” starring Kaley Cuoco, “Superintelligence” with Melissa McCarthy and the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Reunion, as well as the premiere of HBO’s special “Between the World and Me,” an adaption of the New York Times #1 bestselling book by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Users will also have access to the streaming service’s library content, which includes cultural staples such as “Magic Mike”, “13 Going on 30” and “The Dark Knight.” With the holiday season right around the corner, December brings the return of “Euphoria” with a special episode and the debut of Steven Soderbergh’s film “Let Them All Talk” starring Meryl Streep, as well as the platform’s very first holiday special, “My Gift: A Christmas Special” from Carrie Underwood.
WarnerMedia negotiations with Roku and Amazon Fire TV have been longwinded. When HBO Max couldn’t strike a deal with either company prior to launching, many assumed the streamer’s subscriber numbers would be affected, however, the top brass at AT&T and WarnerMedia has said their numbers have been better than they expected.
In an interview with Decider, head of HBO Max, Andy Forssell also doubled down on the sentiment, saying that though they were not on Roku or Fire TVs, users with those devices also have other ways to access the service.
“A lot of those households also have an Apple TV or other device, so we’re not blocked out of those living rooms,” Forssell stated. “In some cases, we are. We’ve already exceeded our goals for 2020, and we’re very happy with the outcomes thus far even without those devices. Expanding distribution to those devices will help us accelerate the growth of the service.”
The new pact makes life easier for users however, and brings HBO Max to millions of other homes as Fire TV is one of the top distributors in the industry.