Launch day deal sees HBO Max arrive on Xfinity
Comcast and WarnerMedia have inked a last-minute deal to bring HBO Max to Xfinity customers on its launch day, an abrupt turnaround after all signs had pointed to disappointment for subscribers. Going live today, HBO Max replaces HBO NOW and promises 10,000 hours of TV and movie content, along with exclusives for which WarnerMedia is footing the bill.
HBO subscribers who have cable or satellite TV service with the company unsurprisingly get access to HBO Max as of today. Those with AT&T, Cox, DirecTV, Hulu, Optimum, Spectrum, Verizon Fios, and YouTube TV can also get HBO Max through their provider. How that works in practice exactly varies; back in April, for example, AT&T said that a number of its wireless phone, internet, and TV customers would automatically get HBO Max bundled – even if they weren't separately subscribing to HBO. However until now, Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex subscribers weren't on that list.
In an agreement confirmed today, existing Xfinity HBO customers will now also have access to HBO Max. That'll be whether they log in through the browser, or through the various HBO Max apps that are on offer. New customers, meanwhile, will be able to subscribe to HBO Max directly through their Xfinity service "in the coming days," WarnerMedia says.
It means that, if you're an existing Xfinity TV customer – whether you subscribe to HBO as part of a package, a la carte, or via Xfinity Internet's Flex – you'll get the same HBO Max content at no extra charge.
HBO Max on Xfinity Flex
Still to come, though, is an HBO Max app for Comcast's streaming set-top box. Launched a little over a year ago, the Flex streamer supports 4K video and comes with a voice remote for easier searching. It's bundled with Xfinity internet subscriptions.
An HBO Max app for the Xfinity Flex – and, indeed, for the Xfinity X1 platform – is still in the pipeline. Exactly when that will happen hasn't been detailed, though Comcast has confirmed that it will support things like voice search when it arrives.
The Xfinity Flex finds itself in good company when it comes to missing HBO Max support. Neither Amazon's Fire TV nor Roku have an HBO Max app yet, with neither company sharing any roadmap for when that omission might be corrected. Instead, subscribers are advised to continue using the HBO NOW app on their Fire TV or Roku device.