Finding something to watch on HBO Max could soon get a whole lot easier

Warner Bros. is testing a new Shorts feed on HBO Max that lets users discover movies and TV shows by swiping through vertical clips selected by an in-house AI system, and a separate Ask HBO Max feature that uses natural-language search for Android users in the US. The Shorts feed is currently limited to a small number of iPhone users in the US, while Ask HBO Max is rolling out to select Android users in the US, with wider expansions planned.

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more. https://www.androidauthority.com/external-links/ Finding something to watch on HBO Max could soon get a whole lot easier Jul 29, 2026 — 6:46 AM ET - HBO Max is testing a new Shorts feed that lets users discover movies and TV shows by swiping through vertical clips. - An in-house AI system helps pick the best scenes from HBO Max’s catalog. - Select Android users in the US can also try Ask HBO Max. This AI-powered search tool understands natural-language requests like moods, genres, or viewing occasions instead of requiring exact movie or show titles. Remember when Netflix https://www.androidauthority.com/streaming-services-netflix-alternatives-3681434/ introduced its TikTok-style vertical feed https://www.androidauthority.com/netflix-mobile-app-vertical-video-3658431/ to help people stumble across something new to watch? Now, HBO Max wants to make finding your next binge just as effortless. Warner Bros. is testing a feature called Shorts https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/hbo-max-launches-new-ai-powered-mobile-features-enhanced-content-discovery , bringing a vertical, swipeable feed of movie and TV clips to HBO Max in the US. Instead of scrolling through endless rows of posters and trying to judge a show by its thumbnail, you’ll be able to flip through short iconic scenes, trailers, and bonus content until something catches your attention. The idea actually makes a lot of sense. Most people don’t discover new content by reading long descriptions anymore. Sometimes all it takes is a funny exchange, an intense action scene, or a dramatic plot twist to convince you to start a new series. That’s exactly what HBO Max is trying to recreate inside its own app. The new Shorts tab lives in the app’s bottom navigation bar. If a clip catches your eye, you can jump straight into the full movie or episode without digging through the app to find it. For now, the feature is only being tested with a limited number of iPhone users https://www.androidauthority.com/android-17-features-tempting-me-to-switch-3669317/ in the US, although the company plans to expand it to more devices and regions over time. Interestingly, those clips aren’t selected entirely by hand. Warner Bros. says https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/hbo-max-launches-new-ai-powered-mobile-features-enhanced-content-discovery it built an in-house AI system that combs through thousands of hours of movies and shows, identifying scenes that are most likely to grab viewers’ attention. Human editors then review those suggestions and decide which moments deserve a place in the Shorts feed. HBO Max is also experimenting with search that feels a lot less rigid. A new Ask HBO Max feature is rolling out to select Android users https://www.androidauthority.com/block-ads-on-android-for-parents-3687831/ in the US, letting subscribers search the catalog using natural language instead of exact titles or actor names. So if you can’t remember what you want to watch, you can search for “something funny that’s under two hours,” “a thriller with unexpected twists,” or “a show to binge over the weekend,” and HBO Max will recommend titles based on the intent behind your search instead of relying solely on exact keywords. Like the Shorts feed, this conversational search experience is currently limited to a small group of US users, with a wider rollout planned for additional devices and markets later on. Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy https://www.androidauthority.com/android-authority-comment-policy/ before posting.