Audio Video News

HBO Max App Available on Sony Android TVs

Al Griffin  |  Jun 1, 2020

When we reported on the launch of HBO Max last Wednesday, one shortcoming of the new service that we noted was spotty streaming hardware support. Smart TVs, in particular, had been left behind, with only one set manufacturer, Samsung, included in the list of supported devices on the HBO Max FAQ at launch. The day following our post, Sony reached out to share an announcement that the HBO Max app is now available on all Sony Android TVs released after 2015, upping the number of supported TV lines to two. But what about the other brands?

Outside of Sony and Samsung, which offers the HBO Max app on 2016 and later models, no other TV brands allow for the service to be accessed natively from a smart TV app. Vizio has confirmed that sets from 2016 on can use ChromeCast built-in or AirPlay 2 to stream HBO Max from an Android phone or tablet or iOS device, respectively. And LG smart TVs offering AirPlay 2 support should also presumably work with HBO Max using that protocol. As for TCL, all of that company’s sets use the Roku TV platform, and Roku is one of the streaming devices notably left off the HBO Max support list, the other being Amazon’s Fire TV boxes and streaming sticks.

Here’s the list of HBO Max-supported external streaming devices that can connect to a TV:

  • Fourth- and fifth-generation Apple TV
  • Apple TV 4K
  • Microsoft Xbox One
  • Playstation 4

HBO Max can also be streamed via AirPlay to a second- or third-generation Apple TV box.

After downloading the HBO Max app over the weekend to my Xbox One, I was pleasantly surprised to find an abundance of movie selections available on the service, though, as noted in our launch coverage, none of it available in 4K/HDR or with Atmos soundtracks. I spent over an hour searching and adding titles to my library, including many offerings from the Criterion Channel, Turner Classic Movies, and Studio Ghibli. HBO Max also features an enormous library of Looney Tunes content—looking forward to catching up on the old cartoons from my youth.

For more info, and to sign up for a free 7-day trial, visit hbomax.com.

COMMENTS
brenro's picture
Submitted by brenro on June 2, 2020 - 6:37am

I have a Sony Android TV and the built in apps are woefully inadequate. Very buggy and unreliable. If HBO Max wants any chance at success they need to get with Roku and Amazon which represent 60% of streaming users.

mns3dhm's picture
Submitted by mns3dhm on June 2, 2020 - 10:56am

The initial rollout has been reported as dumpster fire here: https://hometheaterreview.com/the-launch-of-hbo-max-has-been-an-unmitiga...

Recover Android Data's picture
Submitted by Recover Android Data on March 21, 2023 - 10:50am

This has become one of the frustrating issues for most of the Samsung TV users. Beside that, users of LG TV, Apple TV also experiencing the same problem.

Luckily, there are some solutions - https://www.recoverandroid-data.com/fix-hbo-max-stuck-on-loading-screen

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