Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Cheaper, Ad-Supported HBO Max Subscription Launching in June

Geronimo said:
Except that it appears that the ad-supported version of HBO Max is going to offer the *entire HBO library* with all of it still being ad-free. That alone was $15/mo prior to last May's launch of HBO Max. (And it was doing pretty well, with about 35 million US subscribers.)

So if this new cheaper tier of HBO Max still includes all of the traditional HBO service, and all of it still ad-free, but with all the additional HBO Max content having ads, I'd be surprised if it was less than $10/mo. Heck, I'm surprised that they're even including the entire HBO catalog in this cheaper tier.
Click to expand...
My assumption was that this would mainly apply to the backlog series that would normally have ads. I didn’t really think they’d impose ads into HBO programs, or movies. Still, I don’t see the point unless they’re just trying to boost subscriber numbers.
 
I hate ads so I will continue paying $15 just to get rid of them. I pay extra for no ads and if the service does not offer it I don't use or with YouTube sideload ad free versions and ad blockers.
 
nutmac said:
With AT&T running HBO Max, I share your skepticism. While I still think ad-supported HBO Max should cost about 50% of ad-free HBO Max, knowing AT&T, it will either be priced at minimum of $9.99 with ads and full contents OR priced at around $7.99 with limited contents (e.g., no back seasons or new seasons of HBO Originals).
Click to expand...
Again...repeat after me...HBO content (HBO original series, docs and specials plus the current set of movies airing on HBO) will remain completely ad-free even in the cheaper ad-supported version of HBO Max. The only stuff that will contain ads are the non-HBO titles in HBO Max (e.g. new Max Originals plus licensed seasons of existing TV shows like South Park, Friends, Young Sheldon, Top Gear, non-HBO movies, etc.) As of right now, HBO content makes up close to half of the overall HBO Max catalog -- maybe 45% of it. So if this new tier includes *all* the HBO content, which Kilar's comments today seem to indicate will be the case, then a whole lot of it will still be ad-free.

I had been expecting that the cheaper plan wouldn't have any of the recent HBO Originals (e.g. the current series) or the HBO movie catalog. But that doesn't appear to be the case. Looks like it'll have all of HBO, all ad-free, plus the other stuff but with ads. My guess is that'll be $10/mo. Which is a very good deal if you care anything at all about HBO. I happily paid $15/mo for just it for years.

And keep in mind that Showtime, a rival ad-free premium service with a smaller, less acclaimed catalog than HBO, charges $11/mo. If this new cheaper HBO Max plan turns out like I've described above, it would be like paying for Showtime and then getting the $5/mo version of Paramount+ included for free.
 
  • Like
Reactions: peanuts_of_pathos
Geronimo said:
No, Max Originals are the new line of content that's exclusive to the HBO Max app. They do not appear anywhere else in the US, so they're not on the HBO linear channels. Max Originals include series like The Flight Attendant, Love Life, and Raised by Wolves and movies like SuperIntelligence and Locked Down.

HBO Originals -- that's the stuff that makes up the traditional HBO service (outside of theatrical films) -- series like The Wire, GoT, Insecure, plus original docs, etc.

On the HBO cable channels you just get the HBO Originals plus the theatrical films that HBO currently features. In the HBO Max app, you get all that plus the new Max Originals as well as lots of older seasons of TV shows, plus additional movies. Entire series like Big Bang Theory, The West Wing, Friends, Looney Tunes, etc. plus past seasons of certain current series like Young Sheldon, Rick and Morty, Snowpiercer, etc.
Click to expand...

Ah, thanks for clarifying. Hard to keep up with streaming news these days.
 
Geronimo said:
Again...repeat after me...HBO content (HBO original series, docs and specials plus the current set of movies airing on HBO) will remain completely ad-free even in the cheaper ad-supported version of HBO Max. The only stuff that will contain ads are the non-HBO titles in HBO Max (e.g. new Max Originals plus licensed seasons of existing TV shows like South Park, Friends, Young Sheldon, Top Gear, non-HBO movies, etc.) As of right now, HBO content makes up close to half of the overall HBO Max catalog -- maybe 45% of it. So if this new tier includes *all* the HBO content, which Kilar's comments today seem to indicate will be the case, then a whole lot of it will still be ad-free.

I had been expecting that the cheaper plan wouldn't have any of the recent HBO Originals (e.g. the current series) or the HBO movie catalog. But that doesn't appear to be the case. Looks like it'll have all of HBO, all ad-free, plus the other stuff but with ads. My guess is that'll be $10/mo. Which is a very good deal if you care anything at all about HBO. I happily paid $15/mo for just it for years.

And keep in mind that Showtime, a rival ad-free premium service with a smaller, less acclaimed catalog than HBO, charges $11/mo. If this new cheaper HBO Max plan turns out like I've described above, it would be like paying for Showtime and then getting the $5/mo version of Paramount+ included for free.
Click to expand...
If you have a cable package you should be able to get both HBO and Showtime for $10/each, or at least a package for $20.

I’m not sure how they expect the average consumer to continuously pay more to subscribe to multiple streaming services. At this rate cable’s not such a bad idea, unless we could get cheap standalone fiber internet.
 
aaronhead14 said:
*Eyeroll*

NOBODY likes ad-supported streaming services. Nobody. It needs to STOP being an option. And prices of services in general need to come down, without ads.
Click to expand...
Hand up.

I subscribed to peacock with ads. 50% price with same contents. What's not to like?
 
I did not realize HBO Max is $15. I’m glad AT&T has been including it with my unlimited plan for the last 2 years lol
 
Apple_Robert said:
At the moment, I have HBO Max with my AT&T TV Now package. Next month AT&T is raising my grandfathered "Go Big" package by $10 a month. I don't think I am going to continue at that price. I definitely wouldn't pay for an HB channel with ads. I hate ads. I don't watch or listen to them.
Click to expand...
Guess AT&T is going to 'Go Big' on your wallet?...sorry, couldn't help myself....😊
 
  • Like
Reactions: Apple_Robert
Blowback said:
Guess AT&T is going to 'Go Big' on your wallet?...sorry, couldn't help myself....😊
Click to expand...
Ha! Good pun use. Unfortunately, you are correct. I can't see paying $120 a year more. The last time they had a price hike, I politely threatened to cancel. They kept me at the same price. I will try the same tactic at the end of my billing cycle. I may get lucky again. If I don't, I have lots of purchased movies and shows on iTunes I can watch, not to mention my own ripped movies and shows.
 
I don't advocate for Adobe personally, prefer and use several alternatives (except After Effects) but after seeing how much entertainment subs go for it seems to be more valuable. Like you could pay $53/m for Adobe apps and make some really good money as a freelance creative, but people are all up in arms about it. Meanwhile we'll pay an arm and a leg for cable, additional subscriptions, unlimited phone data to watch such subscriptions etc...

I can see disliking Adobe's switch to subscription when it happened since they were releasing updates with no real features, but years later it's more valuable to someone like me.
 
aaronhead14 said:
The ads.

You’re paying them money... for you to watch ads.
Click to expand...
I understand that, but you're also saving money. People who don't care about that can have an ad-free subscription plan. People who don't mind ads can save some bucks. I think it's pretty great.
 
jlc1978 said:
The problem with debundling is each popular channel will charge more than it gets from cable/streaming providers so the ultimate cost is often more for al la carte.


Cost. If someone is willing to get ads the price is lower.'


That's what happens when they debundle. Fewer subscribers than cable so to make the same amount of revenue they raise the costs of the unbundled offering. Plus they often know they can charge more and so do.


That's the upshot of cord cutting - companies now can charge more for the same product. A lot of people thought undbundling would lower their bills, all it did was allow companies to collect a premium for their content and raise the final price if you want more than one or two services.



Then buy the ad free version; or forgo the channel if there isn't one.
Click to expand...
Which is exactly what I will do. And if I wind up not subscribing to any services at all, that is fine as well. I did not watch nor miss watching TV shows at all prior to ad free streaming services and if all of the services go ad based in the future I will stop watching and will not miss them an exceptional amount after stopping my subscriptions. Overall I prefer books and books do not have ads.
 
aaronhead14 said:
*Eyeroll*

NOBODY likes ad-supported streaming services. Nobody. It needs to STOP being an option. And prices of services in general need to come down, without ads.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Mom.
That won’t be happening, but cool post. Now let’s get free pizza from store just cause!
 
aaronhead14 said:
*Eyeroll*

NOBODY likes ad-supported streaming services. Nobody. It needs to STOP being an option. And prices of services in general need to come down, without ads.
Click to expand...
BTW - Hulu makes more money on average from users WITH ads. Why wouldn’t everyone want to offer that if they have the ability to do so?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back