Courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming service, Max, recently made changes to its subscription plans that will affect viewing quality and device usage. Starting next month, the standard ad-free plan will no longer include 4K Ultra HD titles. Instead, the top resolution available will be “full HD” at 1080p. Additionally, users will be limited to streaming on only two devices at the same time, down from three.
To access 4K content and watch on up to four devices simultaneously, subscribers will need to upgrade to Max’s Ultimate Ad-Free plan, which comes at a higher cost. The Ultimate tier was introduced earlier this year and offers over 1,000 films and episodes in 4K UHD, along with support for Dolby Atmos and a larger number of offline downloads.
Current subscribers were notified of the upcoming changes and given the option to switch plans. The price of the standard plan will remain the same, but the alteration in features will take effect on the next billing date, on or after December 5, 2023.
Sudheer Sirivara, EVP of global technology platform at Warner Bros. Discovery, explained that the decision to limit 4K content to the Ultimate tier was driven by the goal of providing users with a superior cinematic experience. The implementation of more advanced technology workflows allows for a faster and more efficient release of 4K content on Max.
