HBO throws out rulebook with streaming launch

I'm a big fan of HBO programming and would love to join it, but 15$ is a bit tone-deaf. If you want to hook people, you have to make it accessible. Here in Japan, Prime Video and Netflix together cost less than that.

considering AT&T is the parent company, it's no wonder they'll start high. Give it a year, and it will realize they started at too high a price point. Watch, within 6 months they'll have a super smokin' deal on the service: sub to our service of only (eg: $5.99 for 6-12 months) or around there and they'll see people clamoring to join... knowing that a large percentage won't remember to cancel after the deal is done. As a former AT&T employee, I'm very familiar with this strategy. You almost need to set a reminder in your phone to cancel.

On the plus side: they DO have a good selection.

I'm not a big fan of splintering the streaming pipeline any further. It's getting costlier since more shows are being charged for if they belong to another streaming site.

Plus, $15 a month - $180 a year?? Sorry, but I'll stick to my 4,000 yen a year Amazon Prime. For those movies/shows not owned by Prime I'll just rent DVDs or pay per movie.

I’ve started watching TUBI... it’s not new stuff but there is heaps of old classic stuff, fairly good documentaries, and a ton of b-grade junk that is so bad it’s good. Have Netflix and Prime but I find myself checking out TUBI more than both of those. It’s also free, ad supported, but I haven’t seen one yet.

AT&T kills everything they touch, unless it is an effective monopoly.

If you want free content, https://www.justwatch.com/ tracks all streaming for a country with lots of free and paid choices. Select which you like and filter on "new"

Eventually, all content seems to get to all the services. We can wait a few years. Game of Thones will be free someday. I have time.