iWorld
HBO Max delivers a new mobile, desktop apps for an improved user experience globally
Mumbai: Warner Bros. Discovery’s OTT service HBO Max has completed the rollout of a new user experience on desktop, iOS and Android mobile devices, and Amazon Fire tablets, where available globally. The replatformed app delivers highly requested new features from HBO Max fans and marks the conclusion of moving all HBO Max apps to a new, more performant tech stack. This was a process that started with replacing connected TV applications last year in September.
The latest features available in the updated HBO Max mobile and desktop applications include:
- Shuffle button functionality is expanded to mobile devices. Previously, only available on the desktop and CTV experiences, this feature gives users the ability to randomise the first episode that plays for select series on the platform.
- SharePlay support for iPhone and iPad users (US only): Subscribers in the US with an ad-free plan and an iPhone or iPad can now use SharePlay to watch their favourite HBO Max programmes in sync with friends and family while on a FaceTime call.
- A dedicated home for downloaded content with improved performance and stability.
- Tablet support for both landscape and portrait orientations.
- An enhanced screen reader experience with improved navigation elements and functionality.
- The ability to split screens with other apps on any behaviour-supported mobile device.
- The intuitive navigation has been updated.
- A refined design and visual styling to let the content shine.
- Chromecast’s stability has been improved.
According to the platform, these updates mark a significant improvement to the experience that will further connect audiences with the stories and storytellers.
Warner Bros. Discovery Streaming senior VP of product design Kamyar Keshmiri said, “We are delighted to introduce the revamped HBO Max mobile and desktop apps. The changes give our users more of the features they care most about, along with improved navigation and a more immersive canvas for storytelling, helping them click play on their favourite content faster and with less friction.”
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
