Five Ways HBO GO will be a Game Changer

2013 Summer TCA Tour - Day 2

HBO is an American premium cable network that has been producing some of the best shows on televisions since 1972. Currently it is the second largest premium cable channel found in American households, closely following Encore in the lead. HBO has produced and aired The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, The Wire, True Detective, Sex and The City, and many other popular television shows. In February HBO launched HBO GO which is a website where HBO subscription holders can watch their favorite HBO shows online. We are going to look at a few ways in which HBO GO is a game changer.

5. You can access your shows on any device

HBO GO, like most streaming apps, is extremely accessible and is available on a variety of different mobile devices, computers, and tablets. Some streaming providers are only available in certain browsers, however that is not the case with HBO GO. HBO GO integrates itself seamlessly with your TV or movie watching habits.

4. It offers interactive features 

HBO GO offers its customers and users some unique features that other streaming services do not have. For certain shows HBO GO provides you with insider information, news, fun facts, and behind the scenes look into you favorite shows. These interactive features sync with your devices so you can play the episode on your computer, while reading/looking at the interactive features on your mobile smart phone.

3. HBO GO has a sport sections

Other online streaming services fail to provide their customers with a way of watching certain pay per view sports, like boxing. HBO GO has a sports section where a variety of games, fights, and sports related movies/documentaries are displayed. Fans want to be able to watch boxing matches on their mobile devices, and HBO GO provides them with that service.

2. Shows appear on HBO GO the same time they are broadcasted live

Unlike other streaming services, HBO GO puts up new episodes of TV shows as soon as the air live on the HBO channel. Many other streaming services takes some time to upload their videos, movies, or TV shows after they are aired, however this is not the case with HBO GO.

1. HBO is looking to offer a “streaming only” subscription

HBO is heavily considering offering a reduced subscription fee for consumers who only want access to HBO GO. Usually people need an HBO cable subscription through their cable providers to access HBO GO, however HBO is looking to break away from this model. Cable companies in the United States are fighting streaming services, the future of television and movies, with everything they’ve got. Imagine typewriter manufacturers fighting against computers, you can’t really blame them, but they have become dated. Cable has become a dated technology as internet streaming services are much better. Your cable provider knows this, thats why they are fighting against it (because they want your money, and for you to keep using a dated technology). Hopefully players as big as HBO will cause cable companies to fold, as more and more people are moving towards streaming services.

 Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Written by Sebastian Hensiek

From Philadelphia, Sebastian is a fan of music, writing, art, and entertainment.