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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Viking: early book sales ‘promising’

Stationery retailer Viking has reported a “promising” start to its bookselling... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Magazines and Newspapers Need to Build Better Apps

While it is still early in the migration process, Apple's iPad and other tablets appear to be a very good thing for the publishing industry, allowing publishers to monetize their content while avoiding the printing and distribution costs associat ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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App download surge on Christmas Day

The number of apps downloaded on Google and Apple surged 125% worldwide to 242m on Christmas Day... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New app route for Macmillan Children's

Macmillan Children's Books has launched its first app, Dear Zoo, ahead of the 30th... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Amazon Price Check App and The Battle over 'Showrooming'

If “showrooming” wasn’t part of the industry lexicon before last week, it is now, thanks to Amazon’s price check app that gives customers up to $15 in discounts to those who scan prices of products at different stores. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Orion to extend early reader coverage for 2012

Orion is to extend its early reader series after achieving sales of 1.3 million units for the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Paddington Bear app launched, ebooks to follow

HarperCollins Children's Books has produced a new app for classic picturebook Paddington,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Financial Times Web App Gains One Million Registrants

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[ Folio Magazine | 2011-11-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HTML 5 Vs. App: Where Should Publishers Focus?

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[ Folio Magazine | 2011-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sales fall at WH Smith in early autumn

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Browser, Not Apps, Still Biggest News Channel on Tablets

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[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pearson adds free learning management tools to Google Apps for Education

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[ Betanews | 2011-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With New Apple iOS 5 Comes Newsstand App

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[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers Flocking to Apple's iOS 5 Newsstand App

The highly anticipated launch of Apple's new iOS 5 is now here and with the new functionality comes new features--including one that publishers may find particularly valuable. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Time Inc.’s Real Simple App Launches First on NOOK

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[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Steve Jobs Biography Arrives in October, a Month Early

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[ AllThingsD | 2011-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Another Rodale Exec’s Exit Points to Changes at Publisher

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[ Folio Magazine | 2011-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Don't write off physical too early, trade warned

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin launches Oliver app

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dennis Publishing Ramps Up App Production

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[ Folio Magazine | 2011-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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