HBO Max needs to fix this one big problem now
HBO Max needs to fix this i big trouble now
I desire to dearest HBO Max, merely it won't allow me.
Last twelvemonth saw HBO Max thrive on the content side, thank you to WarnerMedia's conclusion to bring large theatrical movies to the service on the same day those movies hit theaters, because of how theaters were closing during the Covid-19 pandemic's early days. Dubbed "Project Popcorn," this decision was met with a big comprehend from audiences, and an equally negative reaction from filmmakers such as Christopher Nolan. We at Tom'due south Guide loved this decision, and soon placed HBO Max at the acme of our all-time streaming service rankings.
WHAT IS STREAM TIME?
Stream Fourth dimension is where Tom'south Guide senior editor Henry T. Casey dives into the big choices nosotros make about streaming media. We tackle it all, from the best and worst streaming services and devices, to the never-ending list of shows to spotter.
HBO's core competency has been, and probably volition forever be, the quality of its programming. I was reminded of this on Mon, (January 3) when I started the HBO Max original series Station Eleven. This grim, but slightly hopeful, accommodation of Emily St. John Mandel'due south story of humanity before, during and afterward a flu pandemic wipes out 98% of the human population, had me hooked.
Or at least it did until the HBO Max app got in the manner.
HBO Max goes down, downwards, downward
HBO Max works well oft enough for anybody to know information technology's non some fly-past-nighttime operation run on Ethereum and a hope. Information technology's just that when it breaks (and it does), users who are used to this happening recall "oh, non again!" This is a slightly unique issue, because outages in competing streaming services are much more rare. Netflix was i of many services impacted past a Dec. vii, 2021 Amazon Web Services outage, only those who know enough knew that wasn't a Netflix bug merely an Amazon effect.
The bigger HBO Max brouhahas, such as the issues in June 2021 with the HBO Max Apple TV app, go a lot of coverage. That same month, we saw another outage.
@HBOMaxHelp having trouble with HBO Max on my Android TV. It opens but simply shows a black screen, no audio.December 21, 2021
Other times these outages become less attention, such as reports of problems on Android TV on Dec. 21 that caused screens to go black. HBO Max is aware of these issues, and has been working on them (as was documented in Josef Adalian's study in Vulture), but they keep happening.
To go a 2nd opinion on this, I called upwardly Paul Dergarabedian, senior media annotator for Comscore, who said that it's all about frequency. Even though, he notes "a micro-crisis tin can feel like a macro-crisis in the moment," information technology's all about "the difference between an anomaly or a trend, and that anybody has their own acceptable levels." Considering, he notes "When I want to watch Cobra Kai, information technology better be there."
This was the case I ran into on Mon (Jan. 3), as I finished the start episode of Station Eleven simply to notice HBO Max unable to play episode 2 (at approximately 12 p.thou. ET). Check it out for yourself:
simply finished STATION Xi E01, and I want to watch episode ii, but I dear to try to use HBO Max. picture.twitter.com/XeYPZL8Dn2January 3, 2022
I near went right back to Yellowjackets (whose 2d episode I had yet to first), merely I didn't want to. All I wanted to practise was acquire what happened to Jeevan and Kirsten in Station 11. So, I fiddled around, and then tried waiting it out, doing niggling chores and other bits of housekeeping.
Then thought of something: I could try another streaming device. Yes, dissimilar near people, I have virtually every single streaming device in my apartment. And since I idea the problem could be contained inside the Apple Telly app, I unplugged my Apple tree TV 4K and plugged in the excellent Roku Ultra (2020), and found that HBO Max was working in that location (around an hour after I establish the outset bug). I only share it to explain how weird these outages can be, non to provide a solution: nobody should own both an Apple tree TV 4K and a Roku Ultra, unless they embrace this industry.
Effectually 1:24 p.m. ET (when my streaming was disrupted for an unrelated) I went dorsum to check HBO Max on the Apple Idiot box. And it was working. So, all in all, this was a mini-crisis, but it hurts HBO Max's reputation as much as annihilation. I was unsurprised to get negative sentiments about the service in my mentions. My buddy Jason Million said "a yr later and the app is nonetheless trash," while an online acquaintance declared it "Truly the worst app known to the human race."
Does HBO Max need to go ameliorate? How will that happen?
While these outages and errors are annoying for united states of america, when do they go a trouble for HBO Max? Like all streaming services, HBO Max needs to fight churn — the pattern where subscribers abolish and renew their subscriptions, making the service'southward revenue less stable. In my case, it's non happening whatever time soon, equally HBO Max has a lot of stuff I'chiliad looking forrad to.
Churn could happen for HBO Max if yous hitting a month or ii in a row where you don't encounter reasons to stay subscribing. Because when that happens, information technology could combine with the aforementioned negative opinions nearly the site, and requite people another reason to get away. Dergarabedian agreed, saying "information technology could lead to a tipping point for some to cancel, equally a glitch in the arrangement leads to a lightbulb moment virtually how they're not using a service plenty — and this can happen for any streaming service."
This could arise more than oft, Dergarabedian said "among those who hit that bespeak where people are trying to effigy out where to cut corners, if they're looking for a reason to get out," to meet a upkeep.
a glitch in the system leads to a lightbulb moment near how they're not using a service enough
While I'm sure some at HBO Max won't be happy to see me covering my own micro-crisis with trying to watch Station Eleven, this story is non the problem. The real issue is how many other people are going through like problems. Just look at the "Tweets & replies" section of the HBO Max Help Twitter account, they're out there.
HBO Max's customer support is doing its best. Just existence told to wait when other apps are working doesn't feel like a great situation (I really promise this isn't a problem on Th when I melody in to watch Station 11 episode ten).
Be sure to check out my guides to the all-time streaming devices (and all-time streaming services ) for more than recommendations. E-mail me at henry.casey@futurenet.com or go out a comment below with anything yous'd like to encounter me cover in the streaming world — I might only accost it in a hereafter installment.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/my-favorite-streaming-service-is-betrayed-by-bad-apps
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