AT&T launches pricier HBO Max to take on Netflix

AT&T’s WarnerMedia division launched its HBO Max streaming service on Wednesday, kicking off an ambitious plan to take on Netflix, Disney and Amazon, but its entrance into the global streaming war is complicated by the coronavirus pandemic.

This report produced by Yahaira Jacquez.

HBO’s new streaming service, “HBO Max,” launched on Wednesday – joining the already-crowded streaming industry with the likes of Netflix, Disney, and Amazon.

It has 10,000 hours of content and six original titles including this one, a romantic comedy starring Anna Kendrick.

For HBO, which is owned by AT&T’s WarnerMedia division, the timing of the launch is critical.

Streaming services have a captive audience right now, stuck at home without access to a theater, live music or televised sporting events.

That situation helped Netflix add nearly 16 million new paying customers in the first three months of the year, more than double what it expected to attract.

But with film and TV productions halted across the globe, HBO has postponed dozens of releases - most notably a “Friends” reunion special that it had originally planned for its launch.

And if production doesn't resume by this fall, HBO Max could start to see a shortage of original content as early as January, according to a source familiar with the company.

It has a $15 a month pricetag, a bit high compared to competitors, which may discourage some, as rising unemployment has cut disposable incomes.

Still, WarnerMedia hopes to hit about 80 million subscribers by 2025.