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
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
