Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have been growing rapidly over the past few years. With such demand for streaming content, HBO doesn’t want Netflix to have all the fun.
The International Business Times reports that HBO will be launching their own standalone streaming service. The service now has a name, a prospective launch date, and a price.
The service will go by the name HBO Now. Scheduled to be available in April, just in time for the new season of the wildly popular Game of Thrones, the service will cost $15/month.
HBO has had a long-standing relationship with paid content, so it is no stranger to the business model. It also already has a streaming service in HBO Go. However, up until now, viewers had to have a bundled cable package to access the content. What sets HBO Now apart is the ability to access HBO media without having to sign up for any other channels you don’t want.
The company hopes to gain exposure with demographics that have no desire (or ability) to buy expensive cable packages, and those that just prefer to stream content on demand.
There are also talks that HBO will partner with Apple to provide access on Apple TV. This should not come as a shocker, as HBO Go is already an option for Apple’s streaming device.
With HBO’s extensive current lineup and history of in-demand series and films, this should prove to be a successful venture. And if nothing else, this yet again points to the change in how people consume their entertainment and media.