An estimated 5,54,000 users signed up for the app from
Friday to Sunday, including a record 2,44,000 downloads on Sunday alone,
according to the market-research firm Apptopia.
While mobile devices are just one entry point for customers
using a streaming service, the data provides a way to measure traffic. HBO
Max's total mobile users now stand at just under 12 million, Apptopia said.
Meanwhile, Walt Disney's Disney+ streaming service had about
2.3 million global installations of its mobile app over the Christmas holiday,
a 28 percent increase from the prior weekend, according to the market-research
firm Sensor Tower.
The Pixar animated feature Soul, which was released on
Disney+ on Christmas Day, took in about $7.6 million in its theatrical debut in
several international markets, including China.
The weekend will be closely analysed by Hollywood executives
and investors because studios decided to release two big films, Wonder Woman
and Soul, on their streaming services on the same day they were released in
cinemas.
Wonder Woman took in $16.7 million in domestic theaters over
the weekend. AT&T's WarnerMedia said nearly half of the customers who have
subscribed to HBO Max directly from the company watched the film on the day of
its release.
Apptopia and Sensor Tower tally only downloads of the
companies' mobile apps. Disney+ has about 87 million global subscribers
overall, while HBO Max, which is available only in the US, has had 12.6 million
account activations.
Investors largely perceive the dual theater-and-streaming
strategy as a success. Shares of Cinemark rallied Monday, though AMC
Entertainment reversed earlier gains, and Disney stock hit a new high.
© 2020 Bloomberg LP