HBO Max’s first day finally arrived, and it wasn’t all positive.
The new AT&T (NYSE:T) streaming service caught some heat for not being available on Roku and Amazon platforms, depriving users of two of the most popular places for accessing the new effort.
The apparent frustration was enough to make “Roku” among the top trending topics on Twitter in the U.S.
“The latest new streaming service HBO Max bowed with unlimited access to every episode of ‘Friends,’ ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and ‘Game of Thrones,’” USA Today tech columnist Jefferson Graham said, “But if all you've got is a streaming player from Roku or Amazon, you won't be able to watch.”
On Twitter, @HBOMaxHelp responded to users about the lack of availability on Roku and Amazon.
“Apologies for any confusion,” the account said in one response regarding Amazon. “We appreciate your feedback regarding this, and are working to help deliver #HBOMAX to as many devices and customers as possible.”
AT&T’s WarnerMedia has been investing in HBO Max as it looks to take to use its massive reach in Hollywood to help it take on the likes of Netflix, Disney and Hulu. The service, in addition to questions about platforms, came under some criticism for its video quality and many user options as well
"We note the launch announcement was met with little fanfare, and mostly skepticism from industry trade rags," analysts at Wells Fargo said in a research note Wednesday.
Still, it also received some kudos.
“The HBO Max interface is impressively user friendly,” Variety’s Caroline Framke, said on the website. “It has a solid search function and several 'hubs' with more in-depth catalogs, from Turner Classic Movies and DC to Studio Ghibli and Crunchyroll.”
AT&T came out Wednesday with a new partnership to make it simpler to sign up for HBO Max, which costs $14.99 a month after an introductory period.
Yet there were other complaints. CNet’s David Katzmaier pointed to a lack of 4K, which provides extra sharp images on device screens. The writer noted rival Disney+ gives users the option.
“I'd love to see as much 4K HDR as possible on streaming,” Katzmaier wrote in the piece. “And as a relatively expensive service, HBO Max is shooting itself in the foot by not including as much as it can at launch.”
Higher-quality audio would be welcome, too, Katzmaier said.
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A spokesperson for the service said “4K HDR, Dolby Vision, HDR10 Plus and Dolby Atmos are on our roadmap" but didn't specify when those advanced audio and video formats would be available, according to the story.
On the launch date for Disney+ in November, there were challenges with reports of glitches.
Before the morning was out, the Disney+ Twitter account asked for patience and said it was “working quickly to resolve any current issues” after demand exceeded expectations.
