What you need to know
- Max started informing users about changes in existing ad-free plans.
- The ad-free plan that costs $15.99 will no longer support 4K, with only Full HD to be supported.
- Users willing to watch in 4K have to shell out $19.99 per month for the new Ultimate Ad-Free plan.
Max, formerly HBO Max, has begun informing its subscribers about upcoming changes to the streaming service, with a focus on its current tier plans and a new, pricier option.
The streaming service is making significant changes to its current ad-free plan, which includes a $15.99 monthly tier that allows users to stream on three devices at once, the ability to download 30 titles for offline watching, and supported Full HD resolution coupled with select titles in 4K accompanied by Dolby Atmos.
As part of the new change, this ad-free plan will remain the same cost-wise; however, it now only supports two concurrent devices for streaming, and the streaming service is dropping 4K support, meaning they have to settle with Full HD resolution.
Alternatively, Max's aim is to push users to opt for the "Ultimate Ad-free" plan for $19.99/month, which allows streaming on four devices at once, along with 4K with Dolby Atmos support and 100 offline downloads. The ad-supported tier still remains, costing $9.99 per month with Full HD support and two concurrent streams.
The said changes to the streaming platform tiers don't come as a surprise as it was expected ever since the merger of HBO Max and Discovery Plus to "Max, " which happened in May this year starting within the U.S. It also follows the current trend seen by other streaming services such as Netflix, Apple TV Plus, and others, that have been raising prices in recent months. Max is also expected to expand its streaming services to Latin America and the Caribbean region by the end of this year.
In comparison, Max's competitor, Netflix, also has a $15.49 per month plan, which settles for Full HD streaming and doesn't support 4K. For the latter, users have to shell out $22.99 a month, which is comparatively pricer than what Max is currently offering.
