HBO Max has introduced two new mobile features in the U.S. to help subscribers browse and explore its streaming library. The updates include a vertical video clip feed called HBO Max Shorts and an experimental conversational search function.
The video clip feature, accessible via the bottom navigation menu on the mobile application, displays iconic scenes, trailers, and bonus content in a scrollable vertical format. Clips are customized based on an individual user’s watch history, allowing subscribers to add titles to their personal list or begin streaming immediately.
An internal machine learning tool assists editors by analyzing scene-level metadata across thousands of hours of programming to identify key moments. Human editors then select the final clips to ensure quality before they are formatted for vertical playback.
The streaming service is also testing a conversational search option titled Ask HBO Max on Android devices in the U.S. The tool utilizes natural language understanding and semantic search to evaluate user intent, allowing subscribers to find content using phrases such as “in the mood for a comedy” or “dysfunctional family drama.”
Liesel Kipp, executive vice president of product management at Warner Bros. Discovery, stated that the features adopt familiar digital behaviors to simplify how subscribers discover programming. Deepna Devkar, senior vice president of machine learning engineering, noted that the application of artificial intelligence will accelerate clip creation and expand content discovery.
HBO Max Shorts is currently being tested with select iOS users before a broader rollout to additional devices and international markets. The company plans to eventually incorporate sports content into the vertical feed and expand the conversational search tool to more platforms.
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