Technology

HBO Now and HBO Go apps are being removed from older Apple TVs

The new platform HBO Max will launch in the U.S. on May 23rd and will likely pull in users of the brand's previous services in a gradual way

Photo: Shutterstock

LABS

18.May.2020 10:21 BRT
UPDATED 12:34 BRT

In the U.S. market, HBO currently offers two different streaming services: HBO Now and HBO Go. The latter is attached to pay-TV subscriptions in North America.
In Latin America, where HBO Max will launch in 2021 as its first market outside the U.S., users of HBO Go and other premium services will probably be given the opportunity to migrate to Max.

As the HBO Max launch date in the U.S. approaches, the company is tweaking the offer of apps for current platforms. The HBO Now app has been removed from the screens of older Apple TVs (2nd- and 3rd-gen models) this weekend support for the devices ended. HBO Go will also be removed in coming months, as 9to5Mac informed.

But this does not represent a retirement for HBO Now and HBO Go. At least for now. Both apps will still be available on newer Apple TVs, as well as other gadgets such as Amazon Fire TV and Roku.

In the U.S., HBO currently offers two different streaming services. HBO Now is a subscription-based platform that will gradually disappear with the arrival of HBO Max on May 23rd, since the upcoming service is going to have a much bigger library of content and users may migrate at no cost. HBO Go, on the other hand, is a platform linked to pay-TV subscriptions – cable, satellite etc – in the U.S. market. So it will probably take a little longer to be discontinued, since it relies on partnerships set up with pay-TV providers.

Latin America

In Latin America, where HBO Max will launch in 2021 as its first market outside the U.S., users of HBO Go and other premium services will probably be given the opportunity to change to the newer platform, although nothing has been made official up to now.