Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
The Max era is over. After a much-criticized name change in 2023, the Max streaming service is officially returning to its original name of HBO Max. If that sounds a little confusing, here's what happened.
Why the rebrand?
The HBO Max streaming service first debuted in 2020, showcasing original HBO content plus shows and movies from Warner Bros., DC, Turner, and more.
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When WarnerMedia (the parent company of HBO) and Discovery merged several years ago, the company wanted to show that the streaming service now had content from sources other than HBO, so the HBO was dropped and the service became simply Max.
When the HBO Max to Max rebrand happened, you needed to download a whole new app to stream.
Do you need to use a new app?
The best part for subscribers now is you don't need to do anything. The Max app will update on its own with the new name. All of your profiles, preferences, and recently watched data will remain.
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