• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

HBO App for Cord Cutters Hits 2 Million Subscribers

By
Aaron Pressman
Aaron Pressman
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Aaron Pressman
Aaron Pressman
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 8, 2017, 11:55 AM ET
HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Scavenger Hunt
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 19: HBO's "Game Of Thrones" Scavenger Hunt event at Bimbo's 365 Club on April 19, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kelly Sullivan/FilmMagic)Kelly Sullivan 2016 FilmMagic

With cord cutting still on the rise, HBO Now—HBO’s standalone online service—has attracted more than 2 million subscribers in less than two years on the market, the company disclosed on Wednesday.

That means HBO owner Time Warner more than doubled its subscriber base from the end of 2015, when the $15-per-month service had 800,000 customers.

“We’re really pleased with the progress,” Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said, revealing the latest numbers on a call with analysts after the company released its fourth quarter results.

Time Warner (TWX) had long resisted making HBO available without an accompanying subscription to the premium channel on cable, in part to avoid angering big cable operators. But an increasing number of viewers have either cut back on cable, or in the case of younger customers, never signed up in the first place. With an estimated 20 million households now outside the cable ecosystem, Bewkes has been pitching the app-based HBO Now with some success.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Still, even with 2 million subscribers, HBO Now trails far behind some of its online competitors. Netflix (NFLX) reported it had 48 million paying U.S. subscribers at the end of 2016. And Hulu, which is 10% owned by Time Warner, reported reaching 12 million subscribers in the middle of last year. Of course, HBO can also count on tens of millions of customers who still subscribe via a traditional cable package.

Overall for the fourth quarter, Time Warner (TWX) said revenue increased 5% from a year ago to $7.89 billion, better than the $7.72 billion analysts expected. Adjusted earnings per share gained 28% to $1.25, better than the $1.19 analysts expected.

Related: ‘Harry Potter’ Spinoff Sprinkled a Little Magic on Time Warner Earnings

HBO CEO Richard Plepler told analysts that the net rate of customers canceling, or churn, was the lowest ever. Viewers were watching a wide variety of content on the app, not just HBO’s biggest hits, he said.

“Usage is going across a wide range of categories—it’s not just Westworld and Game of Thrones and The Night Of,” he said. “We’re in the business of curating great content. We’re very encouraged by what we’ve seen in churn.”

Time Warner is in the process of being acquired for $109 billion by AT&T (T), though the deal has not been approved by regulators yet.

About the Author
By Aaron Pressman
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Artemis II’s toilet is on the blink again, forcing astronauts to use more backup collection bags as odor fills capsule
InnovationNASA
Artemis II’s toilet is on the blink again, forcing astronauts to use more backup collection bags as odor fills capsule
By Marcia Dunn and The Associated PressApril 5, 2026
4 hours ago
anger
AIProductivity
AI angst mutates into ‘FOBO’ as Fear of Becoming Obsolete takes over American workforces
By Nick LichtenbergApril 5, 2026
8 hours ago
marketing
CommentaryMarketing
The corporate ‘storyteller’ is marketing’s newest messiah—and just as hollow as every buzzword before it
By Bruce StocklerApril 5, 2026
8 hours ago
gecko
CommentaryInsurance
The billion-dollar bet that turned insurance into entertainment
By Stuart N. BrotmanApril 5, 2026
10 hours ago
cameras mounted on a wall
CybersecuritySurveillance
Your neighbor just got a home security system, but should you be worried? ‘It’s inherently a little creepy’ says surveillance expert
By Catherina GioinoApril 5, 2026
10 hours ago
Logan Brown, the founder of AI-powered law firm Soxton
SuccessCareers
The founder of a $2.5 million AI-powered legal business started work at her DA’s office at just 12 years old
By Emma BurleighApril 5, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

The World Cup is supposed to be an economic windfall. But 'you're seeing a number of headwinds' now
North America
The World Cup is supposed to be an economic windfall. But 'you're seeing a number of headwinds' now
By Fortune EditorsApril 4, 2026
1 day ago
'It’s shocking how poorly prepared the administration is': DOGE gutted major energy personnel who warn the U.S. has lost key insights amid Iran war
Energy
'It’s shocking how poorly prepared the administration is': DOGE gutted major energy personnel who warn the U.S. has lost key insights amid Iran war
By Fortune EditorsApril 5, 2026
11 hours ago
Major 4-day workweek study suggests that when we work 5 days we spend one doing basically nothing
Success
Major 4-day workweek study suggests that when we work 5 days we spend one doing basically nothing
By Fortune EditorsApril 2, 2026
3 days ago
Meet a 74-year-old New Yorker who unretired to become an Uber driver: 'I'm amazed at what people will tell me'
Personal Finance
Meet a 74-year-old New Yorker who unretired to become an Uber driver: 'I'm amazed at what people will tell me'
By Fortune EditorsApril 4, 2026
1 day ago
College grads in ‘AI-proof’ careers like psychology and education are seeing negative returns on their degrees
Personal Finance
College grads in ‘AI-proof’ careers like psychology and education are seeing negative returns on their degrees
By Fortune EditorsApril 4, 2026
1 day ago
The founder of a $2.5 million AI-powered legal business started work at her DA’s office at just 12 years old
Success
The founder of a $2.5 million AI-powered legal business started work at her DA’s office at just 12 years old
By Fortune EditorsApril 5, 2026
12 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.