A good friend of mine works for HBO on their Digital Products and Technology team according to him this will be available early 2015 and can be consumed through a web browser or anything that can run the current HBOgo app. Pricing is still TBD. They are discussing a tiered pricing structure:
$10/mo or less: access to current seasons with a set # of views per month
around $20/mo.: all-access pass all current and past productions, unlimited views
also maybe an option that falls in between those two access to everything, limited # of views per month
He did say some stuff (Real Sex, etc.) would probably stay available to cable subscribers only.
It would make since for HBO to have tiered packages for their new service. We expect the $10 a month package would not offer a live stream but work as a next day video on demand service. The $20 package would likely include a live stream of the HBO channels and movies offered.
It is unlikely that the $10/mo plan would include the movies that HBO shows as that would require a new contract with the content owners to offer them on demand. Most likely we will just get HBO owned shows. I think for many cord cutters the $10 a month plan will be perfect. As many people have moved away from watching content live to watching it on demand.
The $20/mo plan will likely include live streams of HBO channels. It is unlikely HBO will include DVR features for their movies. Similar to what HBO GO now offers a live stream but no ability to DVD content to watch latter that is not one of the HBO shows.
Even at $20/mo it is an exciting new announcement for cord cutters. We expect this move will set off a domino effect of channels announcing a direct to consumer option in the near future. HBO may be able to ask for $10 or $20 a month most channels will have to sell their content at a lower price. I would also not be surprised to networks like Discovery offer all of their channels as a package at a group price.
2014 is quickly shaping up to be the year that cord cutting becomes a easy option for most Americans.