Samsung TVs get HBO Now just ahead of this weekend’s Game of Thrones premiere

By Kris Wouk Published April 22, 2016

Samsung KS9500 SUHD TV — Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

This weekend sees the return of some of HBO’s most popular shows, including the juggernaut Game of Thrones, as well as Silicon Valley and Veep. While traditional cable subscribers are double-checking their DVRs, cord-cutters are scrambling to find a way to watch the show without resorting to less-than-lawful tactics.

Owners of Samsung TVs can now just kick back and wait, as the HBO Now app arrived on the platform Thursday, allowing them to sign up for the service from the comfort of their living rooms. If customers have never used HBO Now before, they don’t even have to worry about paying, as a one-month free trial is available, after which the standard $15 per month fee kicks in.

Recommended Videos

“The anticipation for Game of Thrones is at an all-time high, so we’re thrilled to bring HBO Now to Samsung TV users in time for the new season,” Jeff Dallesandro, HBO senior vice president of worldwide digital distribution and business development, said in a statement. “By streaming HBO Now directly on a Samsung TV, consumers can watch epic, event-level programming in premium quality on a big screen—making for a tremendous viewing experience.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

At least for now, only 2016 Samsung models are guaranteed to be able to use the app, and it isn’t currently clear if other models will eventually see support. To check if your model is supported, head over to the HBO Now listing on the Samsung app store.

Samsung doesn’t make the only TVs that offer the HBO Now app: Android-powered Sony Bravia TVs and Sharp models both offer support. Otherwise, streaming devices including the Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick can add support to any TV model. On Thursday, Xbox One and 360 owners got the app as well, with PlayStation4 users still being left out in the cold.

There are still a few days left until the premieres kick off, so if your device of choice isn’t supported yet, there is still a glimmer of hope — but don’t count on a last-minute update to save the day.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

Audio / Video

Samsung’s 2024 TVs are bigger and packed with AI and accessibility features

2024 Samsung Neo QLED 8K TV.

If 2023 was the year of ultra-bright TVs, then 2024 is shaping up to be the year we see AI features burrow their way into them more than ever. Today at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, Samsung let loose some of the details on its much-anticipated lineup of its Neo QLED and OLED TVs for the year, and we'll have to wait for pricing and availability, but we can confirm that it's doubled down on AI to help make things look better, sound clearer, and get more customized to what you're watching.
Samsung Neo QLED 8K lineup
8K TVs still suffer from not having much content out there to watch on them, but that hasn't stopped the big TV brands from pushing the tech forward in anticipation. This year's 8K lineup of Neo QLED mini-LEDs from Samsung includes two models, the QN800D and QN900D, both of which will be available in 65- to 85-inch models.

Again, details were a bit sparse at the time of this writing, but in a press release from Samsung, the company outlined improved sound and enhanced design, calling the QN900D Neo QLED the slimmest 8K TV ever to hit the market. That, and both new QLED 8K models are getting a processor upgrade to something called the NQA AI Gen3 that Samsung says features an on-device AI engine that is twice as fast as its predecessor and with eight times the neural networks.

Audio / Video

Samsung’s new Freestyle Gen 2 is now a cloud gaming projector

The Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 portable projector.

Samsung's much-anticipated follow-up to its popular Freestyle portable projector, dubbed the Freestyle Gen 2, is now available for pre-order on Samsung's website today, but this time out the compact projector can also be used to play games in the cloud from anywhere.

Samsung announced the Freestyle Gen 2 at CES 2023 earlier this year, and while it's not drastically different from its predecessor, the compact Full HD (1080 x 1920) projector maintains its high level of portability (it still weighs less than two pounds), substantial image size capability (30 to 100 inches) and its unique 180-degree swivel cradle stand that lets you project onto pretty much any surface.

Audio / Video

Samsung takes on TCL with 98-inch 4K TV that costs just $8,000

Samsung 98-inch Q80C QLED 4K HDR TV.

In May, TCL stunned us with the price of its new Q Class QM8 98-inch TV. At a mere $10,000, it was far less than the cheapest comparable model from Samsung. Today, Samsung is answering that challenge with an impressively low-priced 98-inch model of its own: the , which will be available starting in July for $8,000.

Samsung is keen to start moving these behemoth screens as soon as possible, so it's got two launch promotions to entice buyers. Starting today through July 2, if you reserve the 98-inch Q80C on Samsung.com or at participating retailers, you'll get a $500 credit that can be used to purchase the TV during the early order period.