HBO Max exec admits to the app’s early flaws

Viewers have long complained about the early HBO Max app’s tendency to crash, and its lack of discoverability features. There have been a number of overhauls and fixes since then. Now we know why. Turns out that HBO Max launched its apps before they were ready in order to keep up with its competitors. The app was “never intended to go global” or to suit the needs of a direct-to-consumer market, according to an interview that Sarah Lyons, HBO Max’s head of product experience, gave Protocol. The network wanted to build an audience first, and then fix the app’s flaws as the service scaled up.While Lyons admits that the early days of HBO Max were rocky, she thinks the company made the right decision. We’ve been changing out the engine of the plane while we’re flying the plane,” she said. “I do think it was the right decision to try to balance both,” said Lyons.HBO Max first released its app in May 2020, to join an already saturated streaming ecosystem that included Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV+ and others. At the time, both HBO Go (the network’s on-demand app for cable subscribers) and HBO Now (the standalone app for cord-cutters) were still available, a fact that confused many subscribers. The network has since retired both apps.Viewers have flocked to Reddit since the app’s initial launch with complaints that spanned platforms and devices. “We’ve been trying to watch the Harry Potter movies and literally every 15 min or so we get an ERROR message and have to force close... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2022-04-14 23:32:58 UTC ]
News tagged with: #apple tv+ #streaming platforms #home page #biggest change #harry potter

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Apple Has Snagged More Than 50 Publishers For Its News App

Apple has recruited publishers like Conde Nast and Vox Media in its quest to create the news reader to beat all news readers.Apple has signed up several new media brands to its upcoming Apple News app, which is intended as a competitor to Flipboard and other news aggregators. As Apple gears up... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news app #conde nast #vox media #news reader #news readers #media brands #news aggregators


AWP Exec Director Defends Kate Gale

After taking down a column that ignited a new round of controversy regarding the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, Red Hen Press' Kate Gale issued an apology while AWP says it stands behind her. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-08-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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MediaMath Appoints Execs, Board Members as It Considers Next Steps

Hires this year by MediaMath, one of the few large independent ad tech companies that hasn't gone public or sold, suggest that it's gearing up for change, beit an initial public offering or more aggressive growth as a still-private player.Most recently, Rich Schmaeling joined MediaMath this... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-08-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #board members #ebook startup #media general #lin media #dow jones #general counsel


Library app lets you check out 'The Walking Dead' and other digital comics

Before it was a TV show and video game, The Walking Dead was a comic book from publisher Image Comics. It's a great series and if you're interested in catching up on the source material for the TV show, you might be in luck. The public library app,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #walking dead #digital comics #tv show #video game #comic book #great series #source material


Are In-Car Apps the Next Platform for News Media Companies?

Developments with in-car apps offer future opportunities for news publishers, but visual-heavy media must find a way to compete until hands-free cars are available.   After online, then mobile, and now watches and other wearables, could cars be ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news publishers


Pears tells new book through Arcadia app

Faber and Touchpress have launched a ‘groundbreaking’ new app, Arcadia, to explore the future of digital reading after ebooks.   Bestselling novelist Iain Pears has conceived his new work, Arcadia, to be read as an app. The novel was written using specially-commissioned software and developed... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital reading #waste land


This Week in Children's Apps: August 17, 2015

This week in children's apps, an interactive story book encourages vocabulary building. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Max Porter: Interview

Although rooted in books and publishing, Max Porter has gone against the grain at almost every opportunity with his début book, Grief is the Thing with Feathers (Faber, £10). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #max porter #dbut book #feathers faber


‘Facebook is the best app for news': Publishers are still way behind in mobile

Publishers are not doing enough to adapt to the mobile era. The biggest mistake, Breaking News gm Cory Bergman says, is not investing enough in mobile talent -- and not allowing for the inevitable mistakes in trying to figure out what works. Instead, there's a propensity for publishers to... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post facebook #mobile appeared #biggest mistake #distribution channel #existing content


Facebook offers up its autoplay video ads to other apps

If you're already annoyed with the autoplay video ads in your Facebook timeline, you might want to brace yourself. The social network is opening up that advertising tech to outside apps, or more specifically, to publishers who leverage Menlo Park's... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook offers


Facebook Is Working on a Twitter-Like App That Lets Publishers Send Mobile Breaking News Alerts to the Masses

Facebook is working on a stand-alone mobile news application that seems to be part of its Facebook for Business initiative.   This product, which sounds similar to Twitter, seems to be different from Facebook for Work, an initiative that wa ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #business initiative


Facebook reportedly testing Twitter-like breaking news app

App that would allow publishers to highlight and push news events to Facebook users is said to be in alpha-stage testingFacebook could be preparing to take on Twitter at its own game, with a standalone news application for mobile phones.The product, which is reportedly in “alpha” stage testing... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook users #mobile phones #business initiative


Max Lucado’s Latest Book Explores Promises of the Promised Land

Max Lucado draws a parallel between modern hardships and the Israelite's arduous journey to the Promised Land. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #max lucado #promised land


Monetizing mobile apps without harming the user experience [Q&A]

In the past making money from a mobile app has usually involved signing up to an advertisement network and allowing the app to display banner ads. The problem with this is that it doesn't make for a particularly good user experience and may actually turn people off using the app. For some time... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2015-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile app #native ad


Game of Thrones app from HC UK

HarperCollins UK has teamed up with George R R Martin and digital product studio Reason to produce a new Game of Thrones app. Released today (30th July), the free app is designed as a "bridge product" for fans of the TV series who have not yet read the books. The app asks users where they are... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tv series #hc uk #harpercollins uk #free app


Yahoo unveils new live video and texting app

Yahoo unveiled a live video texting app Wednesday that could boost the company's mobile presence and help it compete against Apple and Facebook. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #live video #mobile presence


Flawed Atticus should still be celebrated, 'Mockingbird' actor says

None of the controversies surrounding the publication of Harper Lee's long-lost novel, "Go Set a Watchman," has caused more debate than its depiction of the beloved lawyer Atticus Finch as a cranky segregationist vehemently opposed to civil rights. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harper lee #civil rights


Roald Dahl’s gruesome twosome The Twits return in new children's app

Twit or Miss game kicks off digital strategy to bring Dahl’s characters to young fans, in tandem with the writer’s centenary celebrations next yearOne of the most dysfunctional couples in the history of children’s fiction, The Twits, are starring in a new children’s game for smartphones and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #young fans #centenary celebrations #planned series #apps based #back catalogue #ipad apps #android apps


App could turn America’s poor into lifelong readers

A scheme involving the White House, libraries and publishers will let children from cash-strapped families read free ebooksWhile the UK quibbles over library ebook lending, American publishers are teaming up with charities and libraries to give away thousands of ebooks to low-income students.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lifelong readers #white house #award-winning titles #three-year period


Food publishers are early winners of Facebook video

Publishers trying to make heads or tails of Facebook video can learn a thing or two from food sites. Two of the most popular Facebook video publishers cover food: BuzzFeed food got 390 million Facebook video views in June, while video network Tastemade's output was watched 165 million views... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook video