Season 8 of HBO’s award-winning TV series Game of Thrones begins today. The six-episode season is the final of the series and begins at 11am AEST on April 15th, 2019 and will come to a close on May 20th, 2019.
While in the US there is a range of ways to legally watch the series, in Australia it is much more limited. This is because Foxtel has exclusive rights to the series meaning it cannot be shown anywhere else. It also means Apple cannot sell the season on iTunes until the entire season has aired.
Foxtel will be airing the episode at the same time in the US live on their pay-TV service. However, if you are wondering how can we later stream the season then you need to turn to Foxtel Now.
Foxtel Now
All new and previous episodes of Game of Thrones can be streamed on Foxtel Now, a streaming service by Foxtel. It will also be possible to watch each new episode live within the service as it airs on Foxtel.
Foxtel Now is available on a number of devices including many Apple products. With free Apps available for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. While on the Mac you can stream by simply visiting the Foxtel Now website in Safari.
Apple TV
Perhaps the best way to watch is on a big screen TV with Apple TV. Many streaming services in Australia now have apps available for Apple TV, allowing you to stream an array of Movies and TV Shows.
However, Foxtel has still not made an App and instead you must use AirPlay which is a way to wirelessly send the video from your iPhone or iPad to your TV. It is not the most ideal situation and it is disappointing to see Foxtel not provide a decent experience, despite being awarded the rights to one of the biggest TV series in the world.
Nether-less, once the season is available on iTunes you will be able to watch them on Apple TV. Or selected upcoming Smart TVs with the iTunes TV Shows and Movies app.
Pricing
The cheapest way to stream the new season from Foxtel Now is with their Essentials plan at a price of A$25/month. With the ability to cancel at any time. The essentials plan includes Pop and Lifestyle packs (which does cover Game of Thrones Season 8) and comes with a free 10-day trial – a lot less than the typical 30-days other streaming services provides.
You can sign up to Foxtel Now by visiting https://www.foxtel.com.au/now/index.html
iTunes
All previous Game of Thrones seasons is available for purchase from the iTunes store. However, an episode from Season 8 cannot be sold until the entire season has finished airing. Expect it to be released on iTunes around May 20th, 2019.
