(HBO) Max Loops Back Around to the ’90s by Offering Cable-Style Channels

Max is making easier to find something to watch on the streaming service. Find out more about the addition of linear-style channels.

Always-On Channels Choose What to Watch for You

Warner Bros. Discovery has just announced a new test with a number of always-on channels. The test is for a small number of subscribers to the ad-free tiers in the United States.

The channels include HBO Comedy, HBO Signature, HBO Zone, HBO, and HBO 2. All of those options will mirror what is being shown on the traditional HBO channels available to cable subscribers.

If you’re part of the test, the live channels will appear in a box on the Max homepage under Channels. Select the channel to see what’s playing. Thankfully, you can restart, rewind, and fast-forward the content to your liking, a big step up from cable.

Being able to dive into a live channel is a popular option on a number of ad-supported services like Pluto. You can also find similar choices on other services like Amazon Prime Video and Peacock.

While you can find everything shown on the channels through Max, it gives subscribers a new way to find content without needing to search or scroll through different sections of the app. Max is one of the only streaming services that I pay extra for no advertisements, so I hope to see the Channels options soon.

Trying to Stand Out in a World of Streaming Options

Max is just one of the many streaming options available. But there are a number of great reasons Max stands out like a wide variety of media, nostalgic shows, HBO exclusives, and more.

There is some bad news if you’ve been sharing your Max account password with friends or family to save some cash. Back in November, Max officials indicated that they will start cracking down on password sharing. While the practice won’t be banned, you’ll likely need to pay more for a shared subscription.

If you subscribe to Max and share the log-in information, you might see a message asking you to upgrade to a higher-cost subscription that can be shared with others.

Other major services have also cracked down on password sharing, including Netflix and Disney+.