HBO Now is available…now. That’s right; you can stream all the Games of Thrones you want—and everything else HBO has to offer—for $15 per month. Available only online, HBO Now offers all the perks of HBO for those of us without cable or satellite TV.
HBO Now has joined the ranks of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus, which adds even more content to the world of online TV. But is it still TV if we are watching it online?
While HBO Now might seem like a great addition to the streaming services currently available, it also brings the future of television into question. Will more networks decide to move online or offer their programs online in addition to airtime?
My guess is yes. With increased access to watch TV shows and movies on tablets or smartphones, it only makes sense that more companies will make their services accessible without a TV.
I doubt all companies will choose to or be able to move quickly to a solely online market, at least not right away, but I do think TV will start to shift in that direction.
It might not make sense financially for some networks to move away from their TV providers; there is a lot of money and loyalty to them. As more and more companies choose to offer their shows online, there is bound to be some added tension.
Providers will see the threat of losing networks to the online market and be very resistant to it, and that will impact the ability for more streaming services like HBO Now to pop up later down the road.
But it won’t stunt all changes to the television industry.
In a few years (or a few decades) TV won’t exist as we know them today. I mean, it will likely still be the types of shows we are used to watching now. There will probably still be episodes and seasons. But the way that we watch it will be different. There might even be subtle changes to the way TV is presented, but nothing like that is going to happen right away.
I’m super excited about HBO Now; I’m going to get it. As a student with little disposable income, being unable to watch shows on HBO was really frustrating. HBO can now be accessed without paying a $200 monthly cable bill, and it’s about time.
Television has changed so dramatically in my lifetime, from the biggest and smallest screens seen in history to definition so good that you can sometimes forget you are even watching television.
I’m not nervous or skeptical of any changes that will be made to television in the future. It’s a medium that is constantly changing and where change seems inevitable. I’m also excited for television that is more customizable and accessible than ever before.
New advancements in wireless technology make it possible to access the internet from almost anywhere (including airplanes), and make the prospect of watching TV anywhere you like very real.
Technology is bound to get better and make things previously thought impossible a part of our everyday lives. It is already portable enough to bring along with you everyday. Could we have imagined that 50 years ago? So, what sort of technological advances are awaiting us in the future?
People want to watch TV, and they will find new and interesting ways to do it.
If you are interested, you can learn more about HBO Now here: order.hbonow.com
