John Paul M. Joaquin Tech 12.05.2022 23:Dec PM EST

Warner Bros. Discovery To Merge HBO, Discovery Apps To Form ‘Max’

Warner Bros. Discovery streaming app merger now has a name.

A spokesperson for the company said that "Max" is the preferred name for the merger streaming app between HBO Max and Discovery+, per CNBC.

The resulting app from the merge is expected to be available to the public in Spring 2023, with its content catering to different and broader markets.

HBO Max + Discovery+ Merger App Details

People familiar with Warner Bros. Discovery's plans said that the company is close to picking a name for its upcoming HBO MAx and Discovery+ streaming app merger, with Max being the forerunner.

Although company executives have Max as the most likely choice for the name, they are mostly still undecided on the matter, and it could change over time.

Apparently, they are pushing for a name change as they don't want the merger app's offerings to dilute the HBO brand, considering that HBO is the gold standard for quality in television, per the AV Club.

The Verge's report says the same, with it saying that executives prefer Max as the merger app's name to avoid overshadowing programming from Discovery, DC Comics, Warner Bros., CNN, and other networks.

In the meantime, however, the app will be known internally under the codename "BEAM." The company's lawyers are also suggesting other names for the app at this point in the process.

Engadget reports that BEAM will reportedly have some similarities with Disney+'s platform, with Warner Bros. Discovery's brands as individual tiles, while HBO, Discovery, DC Comics, and Warner Bros. are a few of the landing hubs on it.

According to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, he expects the app's future offerings to bolster the company's "strategic thesis" that the two content offerings work well together when combined. He also added that doing so should drive greater engagement, lower churn, and high customer lifetime value.

However, the existence of landing hubs in the app could lead to more buggy, difficult-to-navigate menus.

War Bros Discovery has yet to disclose the merger app's subscription tiers and their pricing, though it is possible it will do so with Spring 2023 fast approaching.

It can be speculated that Max's pricing could be the same as its predecessors, with both offering monthly plans that come with or without ads, with the former being more affordable than the latter.

Why Merge HBO Max And Discovery+?

Warner Bros. Discovery decided t merge the two apps to cut subscriber losses due to the popularity of other streaming apps like Netflix by offering a broader range of content for everyone.

Among the app's content, new TV shows like "The Last of Us" and a new season of "Succession" will be included from HBO Max, while reality shows like "90 Day Fiance" and its spinoffs will be offered from Discovery Plus.

Max's content is expected to focus more on quality rather than quantity to make the most out of the money spent on making them in the hopes that the app will increase subscriptions and advertising revenue.