HBO announced at Tuesday's Dive Into Media conference that the swirl of rumors have at last settled and that subscribers will finally be able to use their iPhone or iPad to stream television by way of the HBO Go iOS app over Apple AirPlay.
Having launched along with 2010's iOS 4.2 update, AirPlay permits the wireless streaming of video, photos, and music from iOS devices to Apple TVs.
Devices compatible with the AirPlay update are those that run iOS 6 and above. Owners of Apple TV devices with version 5.1.1 or later can also take advantage of HBO's new unlocked system.
"The HBO GO App securely streams content to your HDTV via Apple TV over Wi-Fi," HBO said in a statement. The company continued that fellow Time Warner-owned Cinemax's MAX GO has been updated by AirPlay, as well.
Go is a free service offered to all HBO/Cinemax (respectively) subscribers, although it is not available in all cable markets.
"Our long-term goal for Go is to be on all devices and all platforms," HBO President Eric Kessler said of the app that can already run on Xbox and Roku.
Nevertheless, Kessler went on to specify that such a service as streaming HBO to just about any device anywhere does not mean the company is foreseeing a cessation of its subscriber-based model.
"The economics today are not particularly compelling," said Kessler, adding that HBO has no intention of becoming "your father's Oldsmobile." Essentially, Kessler and HBO as a whole feel their current service(s) are merely keeping up with contemporary industry standards.
However, the possibilities of a freer HBO distribution were looming in Kessler's announcement with the addition that, "Now that doesn't mean that may not change."
For those curious as to why HBO (and, by proxy Cinemax) are not directly accessible on Apple TVs, Kessler obliquely hinted that "[w]e will get on Apple TV, as we've said all along. We can certainly do it when we want to. Today, that's not the case.""
Clearly, Web TV is a hot topic quickly consuming the tech and media realms, as another revelation made at the Dive Into Media conference was that chip-maker Intel intends to go into the business, as well.
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