HBO Now not available on 2nd & 3rd generation Apple TVs

Following a one-month extension, HBO Now is no longer available to use on the second-generation and third-generation Apple TV, leaving users with the prospect of upgrading to a newer model or performing a workaround to continue accessing the service.

The original decision to pull the HBO Go and HBO Now apps from earlier Apple TV models in April was postponed by a month. The late-April delay enabled users to continue using HBO Now on the Apple TV until May 15, but now access has been pulled on the second- and third-generation Apple TV.

Despite the removal of HBO Now from the Home Screen on those models, as spotted by 9to5Mac, users will still be able to take advantage of HBO Go for a while longer. An HBO spokesperson explained in April the HBO Go app will remain available for "a few additional months."

The extended availability of HBO Now may have been due to the coronavirus pandemic, though it has not been officially confirmed to have been the reason for the app's continued availability.

While owners of the older Apple TV models may be pressured to upgrade to a new fourth-generation Apple TV, there are ways to be able to continue watching via the set-top box, such as through AirPlay streaming.

HBO is currently preparing to launch HBO Max, a video streaming service that will open on May 27 with 10,000 hours of content. The service will draw from WarnerMedia's extensive 100-year-old catalog as well as offering original content, including an unscripted cast reunion of "Friends."

The service will cost $14.99 per month for new customers, though current HBO Now customers are speculated to be automatically upgraded to HBO Max without any extra fees if they are billed through the App Store or subscribe via Apple TV Channels.

12 Comments

lkrupp 19 Years · 10521 comments

About 4 years ago

I’m left wondering why HBO is doing this. Has HBO removed support for older Roku’s and Firesticks too? But time and technology marches on. Perhaps 2nd and 3rd gen Apple TV’s don’t have the ability HBO needs or may be HBO just doesn’t spend development dollars to continue supporting old hardware.

But whatever the reason we can be absolutely sure that users will blame Apple and accuse Apple of planned obsolescence. Apple will get the black eye and HBO will fly under the radar on this.

(update) I just remembered that HBO and Warner Media are now owned by AT&T. This explains everything!

davebarnes 19 Years · 376 comments

About 4 years ago

Whatever.
Buy a new box. It costs $5/month.

At least it is not your 18-month-old Samsung TV that will never receive software updates.

Fred257 5 Years · 259 comments

About 4 years ago

Just download the HBO Now app on your phone and Chromecast it. Simple as pie

StrangeDays 8 Years · 12986 comments

About 4 years ago

Side note pertaining to HBO Max.... I subscribe to the HBO channel on the “TV” app within Apple TV (so I can share it with family members, no usernames or passwords). I received this email from Apple about the new HBO Max offering:

..it appears to be saying channel subscribers can use the stand-alone app (not a channel...yet). Not sure how that will work as far as authentication credentials.

apple ][ 13 Years · 9225 comments

About 4 years ago

lkrupp said:

I’m left wondering why HBO is doing this. Has HBO removed support for older Roku’s and Firesticks too? But time and technology marches on. Perhaps 2nd and 3rd gen Apple TV’s don’t have the ability HBO needs or may be HBO just doesn’t spend development dollars to continue supporting old hardware.

But whatever the reason we can be absolutely sure that users will blame Apple and accuse Apple of planned obsolescence. Apple will get the black eye and HBO will fly under the radar on this.

(update) I just remembered that HBO and Warner Media are now owned by AT&T. This explains everything!

I don't know their exact reason either, but they obviously must have one I would assume.

By removing support for an older device, they are making a deliberate decision to cut off the access of anybody who only has that device to subscribe to their service.

I suppose that they have stats which shows that this group of customers is not important or significant enough for them to continue to provide support or to keep the app updated for that particular group. They know who their users are and what devices they are using when they connect to the service.

The Apple TV 3 is over 8 years old, I have one myself that I keep in another room, though I mostly use the newer Apple TV 4k these days.

If somebody's newest streaming device is a very old Apple TV, is it likely that that person is going to shell out $15 a month for a streaming service?

And if somebody has an old Apple TV and they really want to have HBO on their TV and they are frugal and they don't want to buy a newer Apple TV, then I suppose that those people can always buy a cheap stick from somebody else, like the Amazon firestick 4k, which has often been on sale for like $25, so I don't see this as a huge issue.