Some HBO customers are going to lose service during the current coronavirus quarantine. If you have a second or third-generation Apple TV model, the channel is planning to discontinue support for those devices sometime after May 15th temporarily. So, if you have a newer iteration of the set-top box, you have nothing to worry about. But, HBO Now and HBO Go had announced a “device deprecation plan of the 2nd and 3rd generation Appl TV devices which was supposed to roll into effect on April 30th. But, with the coronavirus pandemic still hovering about, the channel is taking some steps to not leave the older users out in the cold.
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Variety confirmed that HBO is supporting HBO Now on those Apple TV models until May 15th. People using that platform can use HBO Go for a few additional months while people are searching for some entertainment while they practice social distancing. The plan is to get everyone using HBO Now, and HBO Go to use the fourth-generation Apple TV HD and the company’s 4K TV solution. But, there is a bit of a hack here as HBO customers can just cast their mobile devices to the older models using AirPlay. Still, a lot of people are unaware that the workaround exists.
As Apple’s set-top box offerings age, AppleTV has been around since before the last decade; support has become trickier. Most home streaming gadgets now can expect a moment where the older models are no longer supported. The 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TVs can download the company’s proprietary app and Apple TV Plus. Netflix is a modern entertainment staple that is only offered on the 2nd generation and later models. Meanwhile, Disney+ is a no-go for all of the Apple TV models before the 4th generation. That means no episodes of The Mandalorian unless you have one of the more recent models.
HBO and the tech giant have been partners for a long time. The cable television power has been together with Apple since 2015 when the HBO Now service debuted. Back then, you could only get the service on Apple’s platform. Now, that has changed as of late. A lot of these channels, streaming platforms, and the like have discovered that people do not enjoy their content being splintered into too many different places. However, those suffering from too many subscriptions have been able to stream HBO’s content for free due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ten different original series are available to stream right now. Hopefully, the 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TV users can get their fill while they can.
Do you use an older Apple TV to stream? Let us know in the comments!
