HBO Max Adds Requested Features, But There’s a Catch

Christie D'Silva

Tue, July 28, 2026 at 6:25 PM UTC

HBO Max Adds Requested Features, But There's a Catch — Image Credit: HBO Max

HBO Max has added two long-requested features for iOS and Android users. These features are designed to help users easily discover their next watch on the mobile application.

The two features, HBO Max Shortsand Ask HBO Max, are being tested on iOS and Android. Shorts allow users to discover content by highlighting iconic moments from the platform's library in a vertical, scrollable feed.

As per The Hollywood Reporter , these are created using an in-house AI tool "which helps human editors select and verticalize content by using machine learning algorithms that utilize scene-level metadata to comb through thousands of hours of titles and suggests the most compelling, high-impact scenes for discovery."

Ask HBO Max is an AI conversational search tool that allows users to discover content based on natural language. For instance, users can type "in a mood for a rom-com," "psychological thrillers for Halloween," or "movies with a surprising plot twist," for recommendations.

These AI-based features help users get recommendations based on their previous watch history. This will curate their feed for a more personal experience. However, there is a catch.

Most HBO Max users will have to wait for the new features

These two new HBO Max features are in their testing phase. This means that only selected users on iOS and Android can access them. General users will have to wait until the official launch.

Once launched to the public, users can tap the "Shorts" icon and begin scrolling to find a new show or movie to watch directly. Another feature being tested is "Add To List," which allows users to directly add a title to the "My List" section from the feed.

Deepna Devkar, HBO Max senior vice president of Machine Learning Engineering, stated, "We're thrilled to launch this application of AI to accelerate the creation of these clips and look forward to quickly expanding to make even more of our amazing content offering discoverable through this new feature."

Moreover, Liesel Kipp, Warner Bros. Discovery 's executive vice president of Product Management, noted that these features are built on intuitive and familiar behaviors that subscribers use every day. She added, "Both 'HBO Max Shorts' and 'conversational search' translate those behaviors into new ways to discover programming across the HBO Max service, making it easier and more seamless for subscribers to find something to watch."

The post HBO Max Adds Requested Features, But There's a Catch appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More .

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Most HBO Max users will have to wait for the new features

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