As Warner Bros. Discovery’s new streaming service, Max, made its much-anticipated debut, some users encountered technical difficulties and reported log-in errors and crashes.
The launch day glitches were observed across various platforms, including the Max.com website, mobile apps like iOS, and connected-TV apps on Roku and Samsung TV. While the exact extent of the issues remains undisclosed, the migration of millions of customers to the new platform naturally poses challenges.
Warner Bros. Discovery responded proactively to address the technical problems, setting up dedicated “war rooms” in Bellevue, Wash., New York, and London to monitor and handle customer reports. Avi Saxena, CTO of Warner Bros. Discovery, emphasized the team’s readiness, stating, “The entire team is on standby.” However, the company declined to provide specific details about the scale of the encountered issues.
“Though to its credit the Max app is much faster as it crashes more quickly than ever before,” Marc Istook, a morning news anchor at WFAA in Dallas, tweeted.
On Tuesday morning, user outage reports regarding HBO Max, the predecessor of Max, surpassed the normal range but were still relatively limited in number. Some subscribers shared their experiences, such as being stuck on the website log-in screen after clicking the “Start Streaming” button or encountering freezing issues when skipping recaps on Roku devices.
While a significant portion of HBO subscribers would have their apps automatically updated to new service, others might need to download the updated app manually. The aim was to ensure a seamless transition for existing subscribers, allowing them to log in with their current credentials and migrate their preferences to the new service.
As the service settles into its new identity, Warner Bros. Discovery will likely continue addressing any technical issues and enhancing the user experience.
