Sam OliverThe HBO Go service will be extended to paying subscribers at no additional cost, co-president of HBO Eric Kellser told Bloomberg on Wednesday. The streaming service will be available on Apple's iPad, as well as other mobile devices and through all major cable systems.
HBO's decision to push its own streaming service comes as the cable network has refused a deal with video rental service Netflix, which has pushed hard to broker a deal. Kessler said he finds "value in exclusivity," and believes consumers "are willing to pay a premium for high quality, exclusive content."
HBO, owned by Time Warner, is home to such popular, original shows as "The Sopranos," "True Blood," and "Sex and the City."
The HBO Go service is currently a Web-based streaming offering. Kessler did not elaborate whether its extension to the iPad would be in the form of an HTML5-based website, or a unique application written specifically for the iPad.
The iPad has become a popular choice for content providers to stream video. At the device's launch in early April, applications from ABC and Netflix were both available for download from the App Store.
Hulu also recently launched its Hulu Plus service for $10 per month. It, along with a free application for the iPhone and iPad, allows users to stream TV content on the go.
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20 Comments
Success of the HBO Go app will depend on its subscription cost.
How well is Hulu doing on the iPad?
HBO sucks anymore. If it weren't for boxing, I wouldn't even bother.
Yes yes YES!
...but don't forget the video out, like Hulu Plus did!
Give it three years and cable will be a distant memory! Thanks Apple!
Dear HBO,
I no longer have cable TV or any TV for that matter - just me FiOS pipe...so where's the online-only subscription option?