Max It has been released with controversy, and it remains to be seen how many of the changes announced in the United States will be applied in Spain. How do prices change when moving from HBO Max to Max?
the new platform Max it was announced yesterday. It opens on may 23 in USAand in 2024 in Spain.
This change is due to Warner and Discovery merger. In the United States, it will integrate the content of the latter, something that does not affect us too much, since the majority are reality shows and North American sports, and the rest, like the excellent Discovery documentariesthey will surely be integrated into Max Spain.
The new prices of Max: charging for what was previously free
Max opens embracing the philosophy of Netflix: plans with advertisingand additional charge for 4K content. The advertising already had it in the United States, but the charge for 4K content, no. We’ll see the price differences between HBO Max and Maxand how much of this will apply in Spain.
Until May 23, HBO Max in States it has two rates:
- Rate with ads (HD): $9.99 per month
- Ad-Free Rate (4K with HDR): $15.99 per month
These rates allow 3 simultaneous devices, and downloads. At the moment Warner Discovery does not penalize shared accounts.
The standard rate of $15.99 includes all the 4K content with HDR or Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
These are Max’s new plans and prices:
- Max Ad-Lite (with ads) ($9.99/mo, $99.99/yr): 2 simultaneous devices, 1080p HD, no downloads, 5.1 surround
- Max Ad Free (no ads) ($15.99/mo or $149.99/yr): 2 simultaneous devices, 1080p HD, up to 30 offline downloads, 5.1 surround
- Max Ultimate Ad Free ($19.99/month or $199.99/year): 4 simultaneous devices, 4K Ultra HD resolution, 100 online downloads, Dolby Atmos
As we see, the standard rate without ads is the most affected. It is “downgraded” to outdated HD (1080p) content without Dolby Atmos, and with one less device, for the same price.
Premieres a new Ultimate rate, 4 dollars more expensivewith what was previously free: the 4K content and Dolby Atmos. Of course, one more device is added.
Max joins like this Netflixwhich at the moment are the only ones that they charge extra for 4K content. A decision that is quite unjustifiable for users.
for years only 4K TVs are sold in stores, is the only current standard out there right now. AND if something is standard, you can’t consider it an extra. Because it is not, by simple definition. But streaming platforms use it as an excuse to raise rates.
How much will Max cost in Spain?
This new Warner Discovery strategy sows great doubts in our country. Will the plans come with advertising? Will the standard rate go up? Will we be charged extra for 4K content?
The only official information is that Max will arrive in Spain in 2024and that the prices will be reported a little before its premiere:
It is true that we pay much less here than in the United States, but we also have less content.
That it is so late with respect to the USA practically confirms that here too will be released plans with advertisingNetflix-style.
Our bet is that they will also take advantage of raise the rate without ads. The great question remains as to whether this ad-free rate will include 4K content with HDR and Dolby Atmos, as up to now, or they will also charge it separately for an additional 3 or 4 euros as in the USA.
We also do not know what will happen with the 50% discount forever that the first HBO Max subscribers in Spain obtained. There are many months left, and the streaming market may have lurched a lot by then.
In one way or another, everything points to the fact that there will be a rate hike with Max. It only remains to be patient and wait for the official information.
HBO Max is renamed to Maxand it does copying Netflix price planwith the controversial extra charge for 4K content. In Spain we will have to wait until 2024.
