HBO has decided to continue supporting second- and third-generation Apple TV set-top boxes after initially saying that HBO Go and HBO Now would no longer work on them as of April 30th. The news comes from AppleInsider, which confirmed the change with an HBO spokesperson.
The extension for HBO Now isn’t all that long HBO will only keep that app working on older Apple TVs until May 15th. But the company has promised to keep HBO Go the one you use if you receive HBO through a cable, satellite, or internet TV provider functional for “a few additional months.”
The spokesperson said that the decision to pull the popular streaming apps from 2nd and 3rd gen Apple TVs was “business-as-usual device deprecation that was planned several months ago.” The spokesperson added, “We are always working with distribution partners to add new devices and retire devices when needed to make sure we’re providing the best streaming experience possible.”
When HBO finally does pull its apps from older Apple TVs, viewers will have to either buy a new streaming device, use AirPlay or ChromeCast or simply hook up their laptop to their TV with an HDMI cable. That’s not very convenient, but the Apple TVs in question came out at least eight years ago an upgrade to a newer one that’s capable of streaming in 1080p or 4K could be worth the price.
