Max launches with 8x more 4K content, higher price

27 May 2023 | Rasmus Larsen |

HBO Max and Discovery+ have merged to a combined streaming service called Max. Base prices remain unchanged but Max is moving 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos to a more expensive plan. In addition to content from HBO, Warner Bros and DC Studios, Max includes content from HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC and ID. Max will continue to produce original content branded "Max Originals". Existing HBO Max subscribers will have access to "their current plan features for a minimum of six months following launch". However, if you change your plan or if you are a new subscriber to Max you will have to pay $20/month or $200/year for Max Ultimate to get the highest video and audio quality, i.e. 4K, HDR10, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

8 times more 4K content

There is good news too as Warner and HBO Max will make a lot more 4K content available to Ultimate subscribers. The expansion amounts to more than 1,000 movies and TV episodes in 4K, according to the company. - "We understand the value of offering our users a cinematic playback experience and to that end, we’ve implemented more advanced technology workflows that allow us to release more 4K content in a faster, more efficient way," said Sudheer Sirivara, Global Technology Platform, Warner Bros. Discovery. "Max will offer more than 1,000 films and episodes in 4K at launch, and we’ll be adding more every month as we move forward."

Max plans

	Ad-Lite	Ad-Free	Ultimate
Price	$10/mo	$16/mo	$20/mo
Simultaneous streams	2	2	4
Offline downloads	0	30	100
Video quality	1080p SDR	1080p SDR	4K Dolby Vision
Audio quality	5.1	5.1	Dolby Atmos

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Following Netflix' playbook, Max is also adding other benefits to its Ultimate plan including 4 simultaneous streams (versus 2 in the cheaper plans) and support for more offline downloads on mobile devices. - "At launch, Max will introduce a new Ultimate Ad-Free tier that will offer four concurrent streams, up to 100 offline downloads and nearly 8x more films and episodes of 4K UHD content than HBO Max, including popular programming such as Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Dark Knight trilogy, The Matrix films and more, all for $19.99/month or $199.99/year," said Warner Bros Discovery, the company behind Max. Some content will also be available in 60 fps. Additionally, all Warner Bros movies released this year and in the future will be available in 4K HDR when they arrive on Max following their theatrical windows. Discovery+ will continue as a standalone service.

The refreshed Max user interface. Photo: Warner Bros Discovery

Redesigned app

There is a new improved app with a refreshed user interface and simpler navigation including genre hubs and personalized recommendations. There are profiles including kids profiles. Max is available now in the US and will come to other regions including Latin America later in 2024, Europe in early 2024, and Asia in 2024.

4K content on Max

Full list of 4K content available to stream on Max’s Ultimate Ad-Free tier at launch on the supported devices: 2001: A Space Odyssey 2nd Annual Ha Festival: The Art of Comedy 8-Bit Christmas A Christmas Mystery A Christmas Story Christmas A Clockwork Orange A Hollywood Christmas Ahir Shah: Dots Aida Rodriguez: Fighting Words Amy And Just Like That... The Documentary And Just Like That... Antlers Aquaman Argo Avenue 5 Bad Education Barbarian Barry (S2, S3) S1 & S4 will be available on June 23. Batman (1989) Batman & Robin Batman and Harley Quinn Batman Begins Batman Forever Batman Returns Batman v Superman: Ultimate Edition Betty Big Little Lies Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) Black Adam Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart C.B. Strike Casablanca Catherine the Great Chernobyl Chris Redd: Why Am I Like This? Coastal Elites Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show Cry Macho DC League of Super-Pets Death on the Nile DMZ Don't Worry Darling Dune East of Eden Edge of Tomorrow Elvis Empire of Light Euphoria Euphoria: Trouble Don't Last Always Expecting Amy Fahrenheit 451 Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Father of the Bride Free Guy Friends: The Reunion From the Earth to the Moon Game of Thrones Gaming Wall St Garcia! Giant Godzilla Godzilla vs. Kong Goodfellas Gossip Girl Ha Festival: The Art of Comedy Hacks Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return To Hogwarts Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter And The Order of The Phoenix Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults His Dark Materials Holiday Harmony House of the Dragon House Party I Hate Suzie In the Heights Industry Irma Vep It Chapter Two It's a Sin Joker Judas and the Black Messiah Julia Justice League Kimi King Richard Kong: Skull Island Landscapers Lizzo: Live in Concert The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Version) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Extended Version) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Extended Version) Love, Lizzo Lovecraft Country Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty Magic Mike Malcolm X Malignant Man of Steel Mare of Easttown Marlon Wayans Presents: The Headliners Marlon Wayans: You Know What It Is The Matrix Reloaded The Matrix Resurrections The Matrix Revolutions Menudo: Forever Young Mortal Kombat Mosaic Moses Storm: Trash White My Brilliant Friend My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood Native Son No Sudden Move Ocean's Eleven Oslo Our Flag Means Death Peacemaker Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler Perry Mason Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Rain Dogs Rap Sh!t Reminiscence Rio Bravo Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain Rose Matafeo: Horndog Santa Camp Scenes from a Marriage Scoob! See How They Run Selena + Chef Sex and the City Sharp Objects Shazam: Fury of the Gods Shazam! Singin' in the Rain Sort Of Soul of America Space Jam: A New Legacy Starstruck Station Eleven Succession (S1-S3) S4 will be available on June 30. Suicide Squad Superman: The Movie Sweet Life: Los Angeles Take Out with Lisa Ling That Damn Michael Che The Baby The Banshees of Inisherin The Batman The Big Brunch The Big Shot with Bethenny The Bob's Burgers Movie The Bridge The Captive The Climb The Conjuring The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It The Dark Knight The Dark Knight Rises The Deuce The Fallout The Fastest Woman on Earth The Flight Attendant The Gilded Age The Girl Before The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug The King's Man The Last of Us The LEGO Movie The Little Things The Man From U.N.C.L.E. The Many Saints of Newark The Matrix The Menu The New Pope The Night House The Nun The Plot Against America The Righteous Gemstones The Sex Lives of College Girls The Soul of America The Staircase The Suicide Squad The Survivor The Third Day The Tourist The Undoing The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin The Weeknd: Live at Sofi Stadium The White Lotus The Wizard of Oz Those Who Wish Me Dead Titans Tom & Jerry Wahl Street Watchmen We Are Who We Are We Own This City West Side Story (2021) White House Plumbers Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty Wonder Woman (2017) Wonder Woman 1984 Zack Snyder's Justice League Zack Snyder's Justice League: Justice Is Gray

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