Warner Bros. Discovery needs $4/month to keep showing legacy HBO Max customers 4K content

Still freeloading on 4K Max content for the low, low price of $16/month? Yeah, Warner Bros. Discovery needs you to pay up. Starting next month, Max will no longer serve up 4K HDR content to legacy HBO Max subscribers who haven’t switched to the more expensive plan.

Beginning December 5, 4K resolution and high dynamic range content will be held behind a $4 ransom for legacy HBO Max subscribers. The old $15.99/month plan will stick around for subscribers already on it, but the legacy plan will no longer deliver content in 4K HDR.

The Verge, which reported the change on Thursday, explains that the new regime at Warner Bros. Discovery always said no changes were planned for customers on the legacy 4K HDR plan for at least six months.

Now, six months later, WBD is stripping 4K HDR out of the $15.99/month ad-free plan just as it yeeted HBO out of the HBO Max brand. Streamers will also be limited to two screens at a time instead of three – unless you give Warner Bros. Discovery their $4/month, that is.

If Max’s $20/month sounds steep for 4K HDR content, don’t worry. Not one to be outdone, Netflix recently decided that $23/month is the sweet spot for 4K resolution after raising prices by $3 last month.

It all makes Apple TV+, which just jumped from $6.99/month to $9.99/month, seem a little more reasonable. Vastly different catalog size aside, Apple doesn’t upcharge for 4K HDR. Apple should seriously consider an ad-supported tier, however, if it plans to continue raising prices as it adds more shows and movies.

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