Shubham Sawarkar
Max, the upcoming successor to HBO Max, has announced plans to introduce an additional paid tier for 4K content, and the move has left some customers feeling frustrated. While the new tier, priced at $19.99, will offer 4K with HDR and Dolby Atmos, four concurrent streams, and up to 100 downloads, the lower-priced tiers will limit downloads and exclude access to high-quality streams.
Customers currently paying for the $15.99 version of HBO Max may feel shortchanged by the new pricing structure, as they will no longer have access to 4K content. This is a major issue, given the dark and difficult-to-watch nature of some of the shows available on the platform. For example, House of the Dragon features dragons battling in dark, atmospheric settings, and it would be a shame to miss out on the visual spectacle due to a poor-quality stream.
However, the bigger concern is the inconsistent quality of content across the platform. HBO Max has previously failed to offer 4K versions of shows that were previously available in high quality, such as those that were migrated from the now-defunct DC Universe platform. The lack of transparency around which shows and films will be available in 4K with HDR and Dolby Atmos is also a major issue, leaving some customers unsure whether to pay extra for the new tier.
Despite these concerns, customers who are only interested in the latest content from HBO and DC may find the new pricing structure satisfactory. However, lovers of the Turner Classic Movies catalog may want to hold off on upgrading until more details about the 4K offerings become available. Ultimately, Max must ensure that the quality of its 4K content is consistent and transparent to justify the new pricing tier.
