HBO Now Standalone Service Launches in April Exclusively on Apple Devices
Finally HBO is really making good on that “It’s not TV” thing.
After years of complaining from people who didn’t have or couldn’t afford cable (or whose parents refused to give them their HBO Go password), HBO is finally delivering a standalone streaming service, HBO Now. Today, the company announced some of its availability details, including pricing and when and where it will start streaming.
HBO Now will debut early next month, in time for the new season of Game of Thrones on April 12. And the company will also offer a 30-day free trial for new members to test the whole thing out. The important thing to note, though, is that at least for (HBO) now, the service is only available on computers and Apple devices. If you want to watch HBO Now on your television, for example, you won’t be able to use your Roku or your PlayStation; you’ll need an Apple TV (which, coincidence of coincidence, is getting a price drop from $99 to $69). Ditto your tablet or phone; HBO Now will only work with iPhones and iPads.
As for the price, HBO Now will cost $14.99 a month, almost double a basic Netflix or Hulu Plus subscription. But, hey, Netflix or Hulu Plus don’t have Game of Thrones. So there’s that.