‘HBO Now’ Will Launch As Apple Exclusive

I bet Apple has an awesome Priacy fearmongering with Apple DRM Solution speach
 
DarkStar_WNY said:
I would agree about the "Apple only" part but I have to ask, did you actually expect HBO to offer their programing on streaming for less then they do on cable?
Click to expand...

Well of course. They don't have to split the profits.
 
webdev511 said:
Well it's not like Apple has other plans for that $142 BILLION they're sitting on, so paying HBO for three months of exclusivity in the hopes that it boosts the sales of Apple TV isn't going to hurt their bottom line. I wonder if they also get 30% of the subscription cost for every subscriber as per their usual app kickback.
Click to expand...

Well, unfortunately you're probably right. The fanbois will buy no matter what, and Apple will continue to make these types of decisions because of it.

I, on the other hand, was seriously considering a broadwell MBP and was awaiting its launch. My first Apple product. But it seems like every single month there's something new that makes me hate them. So, no, no MBP for me.
 
Is this different from the HBO GO service I already get for free with my existing internet provider?
 
bucket said:
Is this different from the HBO GO service I already get for free with my existing internet provider?
Click to expand...

I believe it is the same service that you get with HBO online with a cable subscription but standalone.
 
HBO is available on Google TV (I live in KC), its only a matter of time before they allow it on Android....
 
chockomonkey said:
They likely just figured that only Apple users will pay as much as they're asking for as little content as they're going to deliver.
Click to expand...

That is my guess as well Does not bother me as I never watched HBO anyway.
 
I have to wonder a few things about this whole mess.

How much did apple pay hbo in this deal?

How long until it becomes available on other devices? - these exclusivity deals typically expire after a while.

How much are they going to gut HBO GO in order to get people to buy an Apple product and sign up for HBO Now?
 
5icko said:
Well, unfortunately you're probably right. The fanbois will buy no matter what, and Apple will continue to make these types of decisions because of it.

I, on the other hand, was seriously considering a broadwell MBP and was awaiting its launch. My first Apple product. But it seems like every single month there's something new that makes me hate them. So, no, no MBP for me.
Click to expand...

Huh?

MacBook hasn't been refresh for a long long time, except the Retina Display, which is also having at least 3-4 years of interval.
 
I believe when Netflix mobile rolled out it was "exclusive" to iOS devices because there were lots of concerns from studios about DRM and copy protection. With iOS Netflix only had to code for a single security appliance. With Android there were numerous device and flavors they had to contend with and quite simply could not get it all done in a timely manner. Remember, HBO broadcasts movies too which are provided to them from all the major studios. Warner Bros or Sony may have felt that security compliance was an issue and forbid them from doing this until they could show they had a one size fits all app that was secure on every platform. Right now they can offer this on iOS, it's that simple. Browsers get a pass because it's all encoded through Silverlight.
 
It's not exclusive...

trollbait headline again (steve, you are getting bad about that)

ios and pc's. android is probably coming later. App not done, etc.
 
So much overreacting. I am a non-Apple guy, but this makes total sense. They test the waters on a limited, but large market, while picking up a decent paycheck. Six months down the road they open it up for everybody with all the kinks worked out of it.

I still get HBO the old fashioned way by complaining to Comcast every six months, so I can wait.
 
McFry said:
I believe when Netflix mobile rolled out it was "exclusive" to iOS devices because there were lots of concerns from studios about DRM and copy protection. With iOS Netflix only had to code for a single security appliance. With Android there were numerous device and flavors they had to contend with and quite simply could not get it all done in a timely manner. Remember, HBO broadcasts movies too which are provided to them from all the major studios. Warner Bros or Sony may have felt that security compliance was an issue and forbid them from doing this until they could show they had a one size fits all app that was secure on every platform. Right now they can offer this on iOS, it's that simple. Browsers get a pass because it's all encoded through Silverlight.
Click to expand...

Nevermind scratch this, HBO Go has already been out for awhile now on Android without issue, so whatever DRM there is has already been implemented. This was a tactical decision. Fucking Apple.
 
McFry said:
Nevermind scratch this, HBO Go has already been out for awhile now on Android without issue, so whatever DRM there is has already been implemented. This was a tactical decision. Fucking Apple.
Click to expand...
I would be surprised if HBO Go and HBO Now are the same thing.
 
Did any of you seriously read the article? The comments for this thread are almost as stupid as the trollbait headline.

It will be released on PC the same time it comes out on Apple TV. Which means it will be android compatible you will just need a browser and probably need to mask your identity. Either way simple stuff the fact that it works for a PC is plenty for me though as I use a htpc and not some pos apple tv/roku box.
 
Kenjiwing said:
Did any of you seriously read the article? The comments for this thread are almost as stupid as the trollbait headline.

It will be released on PC the same time it comes out on Apple TV. Which means it will be android compatible you will just need a browser and probably need to mask your identity. Either way simple stuff the fact that it works for a PC is plenty for me though as I use a htpc and not some pos apple tv/roku box.
Click to expand...

Its also only exclusive for 3 months
 
We were going to subscribe to this for Game of Thrones. I would like to legally watch the show on my Roku. I'm going to see what over choices I have. (Also have a Chromecast and FireTV stick, so might not be dead in the water.)
 
All the people who complained that HBO at $15 a month are the same people who complain about Apple. I think HBO won't be missing anything if it is only on Apple devices.
 
Staples said:
All the people who complained that HBO at $15 a month are the same people who complain about Apple. I think HBO won't be missing anything if it is only on Apple devices.
Click to expand...

I don't know.

I've never really found HBO to be worth it. I don't care at all about Game of Thrones at all, and I never watched the Sopranos. I'd probably be in to check it out at the $5/month level but more than that, no.

And that's fine.

Complaining about the price seems silly though, as the $15 per month is cheaper than what they charge via your cable company ($19.99/month)
 
Zarathustra[H];1041474480 said:
I don't know.

I've never really found HBO to be worth it. I don't care at all about Game of Thrones at all, and I never watched the Sopranos. I'd probably be in to check it out at the $5/month level but more than that, no.

And that's fine.

Complaining about the price seems silly though, as the $15 per month is cheaper than what they charge via your cable company ($19.99/month)
Click to expand...

I just looked through the list of HBO shows past present and future, and I didn't see anything I would pay to see. I'm not even sure I'd watch any of it if it were free.
 
kbrickley said:
Didn't they just lower the price of the AppleTV to $69 in the event ... making it even more attractive
Click to expand...

Apple has to be paying them a ton of cash to make it worthwhile to lose customers from other markets. Everyone always complains that there isn't enough competition with the cable companies. HBO decoupled from cable could finally start the slaughter of the cable beast that has a stranglehold on consumers... then Apple fucks it up. As if I needed one more reason to dislike Apple.
 
canna said:
Apple has to be paying them a ton of cash to make it worthwhile to lose customers from other markets. Everyone always complains that there isn't enough competition with the cable companies. HBO decoupled from cable could finally start the slaughter of the cable beast that has a stranglehold on consumers... then Apple fucks it up. As if I needed one more reason to dislike Apple.
Click to expand...

So this is Apple's fault and not HBO's ... since they are launching on the PC also (they are not only on the Apple) this could be a big opportunity for the Steambox (depending on how long it takes to add this to the XBox, PS4, Google store, Roku, and Fire) ... also, if HBO has half a brain they could try and get PS4 and XBox into a bidding war for the next round of exclusivity between them ;)
 
kbrickley said:
So this is Apple's fault and not HBO's ... since they are launching on the PC also (they are not only on the Apple) this could be a big opportunity for the Steambox (depending on how long it takes to add this to the XBox, PS4, Google store, Roku, and Fire) ... also, if HBO has half a brain they could try and get PS4 and XBox into a bidding war for the next round of exclusivity between them ;)
Click to expand...

Steam Machines won't even be out before the exclusivity here ends and I would imagine the apps for other platforms will be ready to go quickly. This doesn't look to be really any different than HBO Go, just sold separately.
 
kbrickley said:
So this is Apple's fault and not HBO's ... since they are launching on the PC also (they are not only on the Apple)
Click to expand...

"All you need to get HBO Now is a broadband connection and an Apple device," HBO CEO Richard Plepler

I read that to mean you must be in Apple's ecosystem to get access to HBO Go. That's pretty damn exclusive. And I would've been more impressed if they debuted a new AppleTV instead of fire-selling three-year old AppleTVs; which have been outclassed by every other STB and streaming stick out there. If Apple moves a million AppleTVs it would be worth whatever they paid HBO. And narrowing the audience to just Apple users does lower the probability of service overwhelm and failure.

But I'm skeptical that HBO will roll out Now to all other devices and platforms in a timely manner, now that they're on Apple teat.
 
GotNoRice said:
hmmm actually I just read that it will supposedly still be available for streaming on regular PCs.

My question then becomes, since the streaming done on the PC is presumably done via a web browser, why couldn't you stream on an android phone using the phone's web browser? What exactly are they doing that allows streaming on a PC but not on a phone (even if only via the web browser)?
Click to expand...

LOL, all they need to do is use Flash as a video plug-in, and it will totally kill most mobile devices from accessing it with a browser.
 
Saturn_V said:
"All you need to get HBO Now is a broadband connection and an Apple device," HBO CEO Richard Plepler

I read that to mean you must be in Apple's ecosystem to get access to HBO Go. That's pretty damn exclusive. And I would've been more impressed if they debuted a new AppleTV instead of fire-selling three-year old AppleTVs; which have been outclassed by every other STB and streaming stick out there. If Apple moves a million AppleTVs it would be worth whatever they paid HBO. And narrowing the audience to just Apple users does lower the probability of service overwhelm and failure.

But I'm skeptical that HBO will roll out Now to all other devices and platforms in a timely manner, now that they're on Apple teat.
Click to expand...

The articles all indicate that the exclusive window is only 3 months ... no guarantee they would make it available for everyone simultaneously but there are few reasons for additional exclusionary periods (except possibly between the XBox and Playstation since MS is not a competitor but Sony is)
 
Kenjiwing said:
Did any of you seriously read the article? The comments for this thread are almost as stupid as the trollbait headline.

It will be released on PC the same time it comes out on Apple TV. Which means it will be android compatible you will just need a browser and probably need to mask your identity. Either way simple stuff the fact that it works for a PC is plenty for me though as I use a htpc and not some pos apple tv/roku box.
Click to expand...

Have you ever watched HBO through a browser? It uses special plugins, namely Silverlight I believe. You cannot just watch HBO movies through a mobile browser.
 
Saturn_V said:
And I would've been more impressed if they debuted a new AppleTV instead of fire-selling three-year old AppleTVs; which have been outclassed by every other STB and streaming stick out there.
Click to expand...

IMHO, now that Kodi (formerly XBMC) has stopped developing for AppleTV, the biggest reason to buy one ceased to exist as well.
 
McFry said:
Nevermind scratch this, HBO Go has already been out for awhile now on Android without issue, so whatever DRM there is has already been implemented. This was a tactical decision. Fucking Apple.
Click to expand...

Have you tried to watch HBO GO during a primetime show. My wife tried during the final season of true blood and it was just LAG LAG LAG. You can wait till after the show is over, but it sucks that you can't watch it live and have a good experience.

Anyways, my point is I honestly do not think HBO has the bandwidth to open up this service to everybody at launch. They chose apple over the other markets for whatever reason. I also fully expect game of thrones to be unwatchable during it's broadcast time even just with it open to Apple devices. Apple users are really beta testers for this.
 
canna said:
Apple has to be paying them a ton of cash to make it worthwhile to lose customers from other markets. Everyone always complains that there isn't enough competition with the cable companies. HBO decoupled from cable could finally start the slaughter of the cable beast that has a stranglehold on consumers... then Apple fucks it up. As if I needed one more reason to dislike Apple.
Click to expand...

Like three months is going to change the fate of cable.

Look at it this way, the first year HBO Go was around it crashed hard when Game of Thrones came out. Now is coming out at virtually the same time as Game of thrones so they would have to scale incredibly quickly if say 1 million people signed up the Friday before it starts. this way, they still have to scale, but they only have one version to worry about.

Take the $45 and buy a season pass or pirate. It's not that hard.
 
Looks like it's a 90 day exclusive. I'll have to bring the ATV3 in from the garage and get it setup. Might have to move back to it anyway, the wife isn't a fan of the Roku 3 interface.
 
ndehmer said:
So pick the smallest install base device for cord cutters and make it exclusive. Apple is either paying a sh!t ton of money or HBO execs are getting a ton of free apple stuff.
Click to expand...

Well there are other options. Namely that they may want to start smaller to minimize the shock to both their capacity and to their partners in crime the cable companies.

If it's itunes and iOS only that's one thing. If it is iOS and PCs, that's a pretty large market.

It also may be that HBO may want to get paid by both customers and device makers, and apple was first to say no problem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top