In May, HBO Max underwent a transformation and became Max. At that time, Warner Bros. Discovery assured existing subscribers on the ad-free plan that they could enjoy certain perks, such as 4K streaming, for a minimum of six months without any additional charges. Now, as we approach that six-month mark, it’s time for a change.
Max is reaching out to its affected customers, notifying them that while their monthly subscription cost of $15.99 will remain unchanged, they will lose a couple of perks starting on or after 5 December 2023.
Specifically, 4K (and HDR) streaming will no longer be available for legacy customers. They will be limited to HD quality, similar to new signups for Max’s ad-free tier. To continue enjoying 4K playback, legacy subscribers can upgrade to the “ultimate” plan, which costs $19.99 per month.
This will be done for users who use their plan on smartphones and on their smart televisions. Legacy ad-free subscribers also had an extra concurrent stream (for a total of three) compared to the standard two offered to new $15.99 plan subscribers.
Unfortunately, this perk will also be discontinued starting with the December billing cycle. There is currently no clarification from Warner Bros. Discovery regarding whether any subset of customers can retain these benefits.
It’s worth noting that downloads remain unaffected by these changes. Both legacy and current ad-free customers can still save up to 30 titles on supported devices for offline viewing when they don’t have an internet connection.
For those looking for a more budget-friendly option, Max offers a “with ads” tier priced at $9.99. While this tier doesn’t include offline downloads, it does allow for two simultaneous streams and offers HD picture quality. Additionally, Max recently introduced an optional sports add-on that is free until 29 February 2024 but will cost an additional $9.99 per month for customers who wish to continue using it.
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