Today, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that Max (nee HBO Max) will be available in its first European countries starting May 21 — just in time for the Paris Olympics and Season 2 of House of the Dragon.
Max will go live first in the Nordics, Iberia, and Central and Eastern Europe. Then it will be Poland, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium, the latter two marking the first new countries for Warner Bros. Discovery in more than two years. The additions bring the number of European nations with Max to 25, for a total of 65 worldwide.
The European launch “builds on our long heritage in Europe, bringing together an incredible breadth and depth of culture-defining entertainment from our services and networks, all in one place,” JB Perrette, CEO and President of Global Streaming & Games at Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a press release. “The unrivaled content we’ve got on Max from House of the Dragon to Olympic Games Paris 2024 and beyond means whatever your mood or the occasion, Max has something great for everyone, every time.”
Season 2 of House of the Dragon premieres on June 17 and caps a content slate that WBD says is twice as big as what was available in Europe on the old HBO Max. And Max will be the only place to stream all of the Paris Games in Europe in the 25 countries where Max is available. The Olympics will be included in all of Max’s subscription tiers. And for even more sports, an optional ad-on will give access to Grand Slam tennis like the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open, cycling’s Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a Espana, and others.
Max in Europe will feature three main plans.
There’s the “Basic with ads” plan that will first be available in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Romania, Poland, France, and Belgium. It tops out at full HD resolution and allows for streaming on two devices at once.
The “Standard” plan removes most ads (live events will still have them), streams at full HD, allows for two devices at once, and lets you download up to 30 shows or movies to stream offline.
And the “Premium” plan increases available to content to 4K resolution and Dolby Atmos, four simultaneous streams, and up to 100 downloads for offline viewing.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.