There will also be new subscription types. With a basic subscription, as a new customer you pay 5.99 euros per month. You can then stream on two devices at the same time. The disadvantage of this subscription: you are presented with commercials in between, just like with commercial linear TV, such as RTL and SBS.
There will also be a standard subscription. You pay 9.99 euros per month for this (first-time customers receive a 50 percent discount and pay 4.99 euros). You then watch without advertising and can download thirty titles at the same time to watch offline. Here too, you can watch on two devices at the same time.
Anyone who wants to watch on more devices, for example because everyone in the family watches on their own screen, must purchase a Premium subscription of 13.99 euros per month.
Merger with Discovery
Last year it was announced that HBO Max would merge with Discovery. The intended name of the new streaming service for 22 European countries was Max. After protests from Omroep Max, it has been decided that the streaming service will remain active in the Benelux under the name HBO Max.
The company will launch a new app on June 11. “For you as an early HBO Max Basic subscriber, we are upgrading the features of your subscription to those of our new HBO Max Standard subscription,” the company said in an email.
Full HD
The number of streams that Basic customers can watch simultaneously will be increased from 1 to 2 and downloads will go from 5 to 30. Customers can also stream in Full HD quality.
Until August 13, when a transition period has been completed, old customers will still pay the old amount of 2.99 euros.
HBO Max is not the only streaming service that will offer commercials with the cheapest subscription. Sky Showtime did the same in April.
Disney+ makes a profit for the first time
Streaming services are struggling to make a profit. They spend a lot of money on making new series and films. For example, Disney Plus recorded a loss of millions last year. Today it was announced that Disney+ was profitable for the first time in its existence thanks to an increase in the number of subscribers.
The company added 6 million subscribers worldwide, which, together with cost savings, resulted in a positive result. Not all Disney streaming services are profitable, however. For example, the sports branch, which includes ESPN+, suffered a loss of 65 million dollars.
