HBO Now to Launch Next Month on iPad, iPhone, Apple TV
Apple is holding its Spring Forward media event right now, and Tim Cook just dropped the first bombshell. Apple’s set top box, the Apple TV, is getting a price cut and new content. The Apple TV is now going to cost just $69, down from $99, and it will offer subscription access to HBO Now.
As the rumors suggested last week, HBO Now will cost $15 a month. It’s scheduled to launch early next month (just in time for the Game of Thrones season premiere), Anyone who subscribes in April will get a month free.
HBO Now will only be available on Apple devices (including iPad, iPhone, and Apple TV). It should also be available on your PC (according to the press release). But there’s no mention of Android (which could be explained away by technical issues) or any mention of other set top boxes like Fire TV, Roku, or Android TV (which could not).
Let’s hope HBO is planning to expand HBO Now’s reach, otherwise the service won’t be a whole lot more useful than not having it at all.
Update: And I think they will expand HBO Now. From Buzzfeed:
According to an HBO spokesperson “the exclusive agreement with Apple is for 3 months among new digital distributors.” To clarify: that means Apple has the exclusive for new digital distributors, which means other partners like Verizon or Comcast could also be there. Per the spokesperson: “we are still talking to all MVPDs and they could be there at launch.”
Comments
fjtorres March 9, 2015 um 2:15 pm
New digital distributors?
That suggests that old digital distributors will get it right away.
As in, everybody with HBO GO.
Doesn’t sound like much of an exclusive either way.
Nate Hoffelder March 9, 2015 um 2:22 pm
I don’t know why anyone called this an Apple exclusive, much less an Apple TV exclusive. It’s not, really.
fjtorres March 16, 2015 um 7:25 pm
Nope.
It’s not even a timed exclusive.
It’s been just a week and Cablevision already announced they have it:
http://www.cnet.com/news/hbo-now-to-be-sold-through-cablevision-too/
Nate Hoffelder March 16, 2015 um 8:13 pm
I saw that, yes. That was why I was careful to avoid calling it an exclusive. I figured it would expand soon.
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