HBO Max: Everything to know about Roku and Amazon Fire availability

HBO Max updates: Everything to know about Roku and Amazon Fire availability

According to a report from Variety, WarnerMedia is making some changes to HBO Max, HBO Now, and HBO GO. That’s the good news as those changes include scrapping HBO GO and changing the name of HBO Now to, simply, “HBO.”

As for the bad news? HBO Max still won’t be available on certain streaming devices, despite calls from users to add the HBO Max app to many popular devices. Here’s the latest update on HBO Max availability, differences between it and the HBO GO service and its content offerings.

What’s the difference between HBO Max and HBO GO?

For those who don’t know the difference between the HBO apps, HBO GO is the app you use if you sign up for HBO through your TV provider, or it used to be. Most TV providers are moving to HBO Max if they haven’t already. The last day to use HBO Go will be at the end of July, according to the report.

HBO Now, on the other hand, streaming version of HBO for those who sign up without a cable/satellite subscription. Now, that will be the online version of “HBO.”

What content does HBO Max offer?

HBO Max is the new streaming service that includes all of HBO’s library in addition to a bunch of other Warner Bros. shows and movies and other licensed shows and movies. It’s the same price as HBO Now, but it has way more good content, including Harry Potter, Doom Patrol and other DC shows and movies.

Is HBO Max available on Roku and Amazon Fire TV?

We were hoping HBO Max would be available on Roku and Amazon Fire TV/Stick in the near future. It doesn’t sound like that will be the case. As the Variety report mentions, there won’t be any changes to make the app available via Roku and Amazon Fire TV and Stick or Amazon Channels.

Why isn’t HBO Max on Roku or Amazon Fire?

You might be thinking this is all very stupid. Why isn’t everything just HBO Max?

Well, I had the same thought a while back, but then I learned, as Variety reported, WarnerMedia doesn’t have distribution deals with several major distributors and services, including Amazon and Roku. That’s also the reason why you won’t be able to access the HBO Max app via Roku and Amazon Fire or Amazon Channels.

This seems like a total miss for WarnerMedia. I know there are existing contracts and deals in place that make these things very difficult to workaround, but I don’t see how limiting subscribers at this early stage of the streaming service is going to be a good thing.

There are so many people and would-be viewers around the US that would sign up for HBO Max if it were available through Roku and Amazon, but it doesn’t sound like that’s going to happen anytime soon.

I’m guessing it will happen eventually, though. It just has to. WarnerMedia can’t continue to bar this many subscribers forever.

We’ll be sure to let you know more about HBO Max and its availability on Amazon Fire and Roku when we find out.