Millions of viewers could find themselves unable to use HBO Max following a recent app update.
Anyone streaming titles such as The White Lotus, Euphoria, or the Harry Potter films through an Amazon Fire Stick may have noticed their access suddenly disappear.
On its support page, HBO Max confirmed that the app is no longer supported on Fire TV devices running Fire OS 5 or earlier.
Because Fire OS 5 dates back to 2014, people using that software will need to upgrade in order to keep watching.
The situation has also reignited concerns about how long Amazon’s older devices are supported, as many models don’t receive major Fire OS upgrades and are instead replaced by newer generations running updated systems.
It’s fairly quick to check whether your Fire Stick is impacted and whether you should consider replacing it.
Go to your Fire TV Settings, then select My Fire TV. Next, choose About and then Fire TV.
There you can see which Fire OS version your device is using and whether an update is available. If no update is offered and you’re on an older version, you may need a newer-generation Fire Stick to continue using HBO Max.
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HBO Max users watching on an Amazon Fire Tablet may also be affected, so it’s worth checking those devices as well.
The full list of affected devices are:
HBO Max is the latest major streaming service to drop support for older Fire Stick models, following similar moves from Netflix and Paramount+ in recent months.
Separately, Amazon has also announced other changes recently, including stronger action against illegal streaming.
Under the updated approach, apps deemed unauthorized can be blocked by the company.
The crackdown began in the UK and is expected to expand into more parts of Europe.
The aim is to stop modified or tampered Fire Sticks that have been set up to access paid channels without a subscription.