When HBO Max rebranded as Max in May, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that existing subscribers on the ad-free plan would retain certain perks, such as 4K streaming, for at least the next six months without any additional cost. However, as we approach that six-month mark, the party is coming to an end. Max is now informing affected customers via email that while their monthly price of $15.99 will remain unchanged, they will lose some perks starting on or after December 5th.
Specifically, legacy customers will no longer have access to 4K (and HDR) streaming and will be limited to HD quality, similar to new subscribers who sign up for Max’s ad-free tier today. If these customers want to continue enjoying 4K playback, they will need to upgrade to the “ultimate” plan, which costs $19.99 per month.
Furthermore, legacy ad-free subscribers currently have the benefit of an extra concurrent stream, allowing for a total of three simultaneous streams, compared to the standard two allowed for new signups on the $15.99 plan. However, this extra stream perk will also be discontinued starting with the December billing cycle. There has been no clarification from Warner Bros. Discovery regarding whether any subset of customers will be eligible to maintain these benefits.
Fortunately, this change will not affect the ability to download content for offline viewing. Both legacy and current ad-free customers will still be able to 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 affordable alternative, Max offers a “with ads” tier priced at $9.99. While this tier does not include offline downloads, it does provide the option for two simultaneous streams and offers HD picture quality. Additionally, Max recently introduced an optional sports add-on, which is currently free until February 29th. However, customers who wish to keep the sports add-on will need to pay an additional $9.99 per month starting from March onwards.
Overall, Max is making changes to the perks included in its ad-free plan for legacy customers. While they will continue to pay the same monthly price, they will lose access to 4K streaming and an extra concurrent stream. Nevertheless, they can still enjoy offline downloads and have the option to upgrade to the “ultimate” plan for 4K playback or opt for the more affordable “with ads” tier.
