Premium cable provider HBO is planning to release a new subscription service within the United States in the coming months that will allow its subscribers to stream content over the internet within having to pay for cable TV.
The new service will be called HBO Now and it is completely different from the existing HBO Go service. HBO Go is the internet component available for people who have existing HBO cable subscription.
HBO has signed a 3-month deal with Apple allowing the latter to hold exclusive rights to deliver the service to its own platform. Reports said that HBO Now will be available on the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. The report added that new users will be given a 30-day free trial.
Rumors have it that HBO is also working closely with other cable and internet providers in order to deliver its service to a much wider user base, according to Engadget. Many service providers as well as devices are waiting in line to offer HBO's service once the 3-month deal with Apple expires; among these are the Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation and Xbox.
Cable companies Cox Communications and Cablevision has also showed interest in partnering with HBO in order to add the new streaming service into their internet packages. Major cable service providers like Comcast and Time Warner may also consider tying up with HBO in order to provide the same service.
HBO Now is slated to debut on or before Apr. 12 along with the new fifth season of "The Game of Thrones." Interested customers can get the service for $15 per month and HBO is estimating around 10 to 15 million subscribers will purchase the new service, according to Quartz.