HBO Max has combined with Discovery+ but what does that mean for subscribers to either service or both of them?
Nerdist reported Warner Bros. Discovery announced last year that it would merge both platforms into one system.
Sort of.
HBO Max was rebranded as Max, which launched on Tuesday. Discovery+, however, still exists. The Wrap reported the continued service will allow subscribers to get only Discovery content at a lower cost.
At the same time, Max will have all of HBO Max’s library plus what it calls “Discovery favorites,” or the top shows from HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, Magnolia and Discovery.
The cost breakdown for Max, according to USA Today, is as follows:
- Ad-Lite: $9.99 monthly for two concurrent streams at 1080p HD, 5.1 surround sound, but no offline downloads.
- Ad Free: $15.99 monthly, with two concurrent streams at 1080p HD, 5.1 surround sound and up to 30 offline downloads.
- Ultimate Ad Free: $19.99 monthly, with four concurrent streams at up to 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Atmos sound and 100 offline downloads. Variety reported this is the only way to get the 4K Ultra HD content going forward.
Many HBO Max subscribers will automatically be migrated to Max with profiles, settings and watch histories moving to the new platform, according to The Wrap and Complex. The plan features under HBO Max will be accessible under Max for at least six months.
If you can still use HBO Max, then you will have to download and log into Max, according to The Wrap.
If you subscribe to HBO through your cable or satellite service, you will continue having access to the Max streaming service, USA Today reported. You can see a list of supported cable or satellite systems here.
If you don’t want to subscribe to Max but still want to stream Discovery programming, then you can subscribe to Discovery+ as a standalone service for $4.99 a month with ads, or ad-free for $6.99 a month. The reverse, a stand-alone Max service without Discovery programming, will not be available, USA Today reported.
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