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The real test of whether Warner Bros.
But theres nothing like exploring an app hands-on once its live and in the world.
What struck you most about Max while tooling around it today?
I got a demo with it earlier, but that kind of thing is obviously scripted and guided.
Maybe Im just cynical, but I was half-expecting failure!
Or at least expecting it to roll over at like 3 a.m. or 6 a.m. versus midnight.
The fact that itworkedwasnt so much a surprise, but it was nice to see.
JA:Yeah, there will always be people who have hiccups for some reason.
This isnt like cable where most people get TV through the same basic tech.
But mostly I do think it worked.
I was also impressed by how much faster it loads.
I timed both the old HBO Max app and the new one.
Its not Netflix speed, but its an improvement.
EVB:A huge improvement 50 percent!!
The automatic logins, too.
JA:Lets talk about the overall user experience.
As you note in your preview, its a lot like HBO Max which, smart.
Having things look familiar makes sense.
But what bummed me out going through Max was how everything felt so much more … basic.
Id noticed these changes in recent months on HBO Max.
Some of the fun ways they had been playing with bigger types and breakout sections started going away.
It really feels a lot more like the basic endless rows of Netflix, and thats not good.
EVB:I got that sense too.
And losing them, paired with keeping the fonts the same, makes for a relatively uniform experience throughout.
Discovery exec I spoke with also mentioned no dead ends as an operating principle his team had designed.
David Zaslav and his team know how important channels and data pipe brands are.
People will turn on HGTV and just watch it all day; the actual show sometimes doesnt even matter.
Also, the fact that HBO Max Hubs have become the Brand Spotlight?
Clearly engineers and corporate suits had the final call.
EVB:OMG, yes!
Brand Spotlight such a boring subheader for a boring list of logos!
Call it Something to Watch anything else.
Because its not as if the audience wouldnt recognize TLC or HGTV.
JA:Unbelievably dumb.
It used to be listed just after HBO, Max Originals, and DC.
Its the tenth logo you see.
I get that Max needs and wants to respect audiences who care more about Food internet thanCasablanca.
But this is a little extreme.
What do you think about the HBO branding of it all?
Does it feel like … enough?
As in enough to placate die-hard HBO Max users?
Most are still people who pay for HBO via cable or used to pay for HBO Now.
But lets remember that until very recently, nobody just paid for HBO.
And its just as cool now when you watch HBO on something called Max.
So yeah, I dig it.
EVB:Big agree that its the smart play.
My last Q for you is: Do you have any opinion of the little sound-effect thing they added?
Maybe Im obtuse, but I have no idea what the actual sound is supposed to be.
Our colleague Savannah Salazar said maybe its a mic-tap?
But I dont know!
JA:Ive only heard it once or twice, and its … fun?
I liked the old sound, too.
So final question from me: Overall, where would put Max in the pantheon of major streaming apps?
Not in terms of content offering, but overall user experience?
And is it a step up, down, or sideways from HBO Max?
EVB:I think its a step sideways, user experience-wise.
A lot of things have been smoothed out.
But there was this undeniable charm to the old HBO Max from the purple on to other elements.
By comparison, Max isnt any kind of disaster, but it is definitely less distinct.
And thats at least partly by design.
(The streaming UI that I love best is probably still the Criterion Channels!!
It just feels like what I think the Criterion should feel like.)
JA:Im with you on sideways.
They should lean into that in the design.
And stuff I really love personally classic TV and movies has been even more minimized than it already was.
But those qualms aside, Max is … fine.
Getting the basics right is what matters most in streaming, and I think theyve succeeded here.
I look forward to seeing the next evolution of the platform circa 2025, after Comcast buys Warner Bros.
Discovery and we meet here again to review Peacock Max: The one to watch for HBO andHousewives.
