AT&T has confirmed that the cheaper ad-supported version of HBO Max is set to debut in June.
In addition, the company has substantially raised its subscriber targets for HBO and HBO Max – expecting between 120 million-150 million HBO Max and HBO subscribers by the end of 2025. That’s nearly double their projected estimates in late 2019.
Indeed AT&T says it expects to end 2021 with between 67-70 million HBO and HBO Max subscribers worldwide – a 10%-15% increase from the 61 million they achieved at the end of 2020. The number excludes free trials, basic and Cinemax subscribers.
AT&T expects the AVOD version of HBO Max to contribute to the overall streaming-subscriber growth numbers this year. AT&T also expects to launch HBO Max in 60 markets outside the U.S. in 2021 (39 territories in Latin America in June, 21 territories in Europe in the back half of 2021).
With the upward revision, AT&T expects HBO’s revenue to more than double over the next five years: “As HBO Max scales at a global level, the company plans to increase investment, with expectations for peak dilution in 2022 and break-even in 2025.”
Source: Variety
