HBO has announced that it will merge HBO Max with Discovery Plus. What about the ‘lifetime’ discount you got with HBO Max?
HBO Max and Discovery Plus become ‘Max’
HBO Max was launched in the Netherlands almost exactly one year ago. Popular series such as Game of Thrones and The Sorpranos were immediately available on the streaming service. In the meantime, a lot of new series and films have been added, many of which are really worth watching. Think of series like House of the Dragon, The Last of Us and the just announced Harry Potter series.
Read also: These are the cheapest streaming services for movies and series
The streaming service HBO Max is actually just around the corner, but the streaming service is already stopping in the United States. Warner Bros has merged the service with Discovery Plus. The two video platforms together form the new service called ‘Max’, which will be launched in the United States as early as next month. What does that mean for us in the Netherlands?
Max will come to the Netherlands in 2024
Also in Dutch, HBO Max changes to simply Max. In the United States, Max will be launched next month, but in the Netherlands we have to wait until next year. Exactly when Max will appear next year is unclear, so far only 2024 has been mentioned.
It is clear that all titles from HBO Max will be transferred to Max, just like all titles from Discovery Plus. If you already have an HBO Max (or Discovery Plus) subscription, your profile with all watchlists and viewing history will be automatically transferred to your new Max account. You then have six months after the release of Max to switch to the updated streaming service.
End of the ‘lifetime’ discount on HBO Max?
The main question: what does the merger mean for subscription prices? In the United States, Max offers a plan with ads ($10 per month), an ad-free plan ($16 per month), and an ad-free plan with 4K quality ($20 per month). This is therefore considerably higher than the prices we now pay in the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands you now pay 7.99 euros per month or 59.99 euros per year. When HBO Max was introduced in the Netherlands, early subscribers even received a ‘lifetime discount’ of 50 percent. You don’t pay 7.99 euros but 3.99 euros per month (for the cheapest subscription). What exactly will happen with this discount once HBO Max changes to Max is not yet known.
Also read: HBO Max for Apple TV gets an update: more features and stability
In any case, it is possible that the subscription prices will rise and that the ‘lifetime’ discount will come to an end. The discount applies to HBO Max and not to the new streaming service Max. It is also quite possible that the discount will continue, but then to the cheapest subscription. In the case of the American subscriptions, this is the subscription with advertisements.
Check out all other streaming services here
Don’t feel like waiting for the new and more expensive non-discount HBO Max subscriptions? Or have you seen all series and films on the streaming platform? Then take a look at the other streaming services of the moment. Formula 1 is back in full swing and can be seen on ViaPlay and Apple TV+ is also getting more and more exclusive content. Check out the streaming services here:
- Disney Plus: 8.99 euros per month
- Apple TV+: 6.99 euros per month
- ViaPlay: 13.99 euros per month
- Amazon Prime: 2.99 euros per month
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