Apple's Single Sign-On Service Now Live

[MacRumors]

Apple today officially launched Single Sign-on, the service designed to allow cable subscribers to sign in once with their cable credentials to gain access to all cable-restricted content in iOS and tvOS apps.

Single Sign-on is limited to the United States, and according to a support document, is available for the following providers: CenturyLink Prism, DirecTV, Dish, GVTC, GTA, Hawaiian Telcom, Hotwire, MetroCast, and Sling.

While Single Sign-on was introduced and tested in the tvOS 10.1 and iOS 10.2 betas, the feature was remotely released today to all iOS 10 and tvOS 10 devices. Using Single Sign-on does not require one of the betas, and is instead immediately available to all iPhone and Apple TV users running iOS 10 or tvOS 10.

With Single Sign-on, customers with a supported provider will use the Settings options in iOS or tvOS to sign in with their cable credentials. From then on, when accessing a supported app that requires a cable subscription, the app will ask to use the saved sign-on credentials.

To get to Single Sign-on on iOS devices, open the Settings app and scroll down to "TV Providers." The process is the same on the Apple TV - open the Settings app and choose the TV Providers option to sign in.

Most cable channels and content providers offer individual apps on the Apple TV and iOS devices, but still require cable authentication before users can access content. Prior to Single Sign-on, customers were required to enter their credentials in each individual app, a frustrating and time-consuming process.

Single Sign-on will play a key part in the upcoming "TV" app that's set to debut in iOS 10.2 and tvOS 10.1. The TV app serves as sort of an Apple-designed television guide that lets customers find new content and keep track of what they were watching across multiple devices.

At the current time, Single Sign-on is available to a limited number of customers, but its availability will expand as Apple signs the necessary deals with cable providers. Single Sign-on also requires apps to implement support for the feature, and many apps have not yet introduced Single Sign-on support.

Article Link: Apple's Single Sign-On Service Now Live

 

[peoplesyak]

Glad they got all the major service providers on board!

 

[Aquaporin]

Stupid comcast.

 

[auriconis]

Shocking, Veri-suck is late to the game. I'm sure this feature will be supported by them in iOS 13.

 

[dannyyankou]

Come on Verizon, get off your lazy ass and get this done
[doublepost=1481057780][/doublepost]

Glad they got all the major service providers on board!

You forgot the /s

 

[wbinford]

I wonder if DirectvNow is covered by the Directv link or if that is considered a separate service.

 

[stevet]

At least 100k people will get to try it out...

 

[BaccaBossMC]

Can't help but notice there is no Xfinity or Fron(trash). Those two are the largest in Florida, and probably in some other states too.

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

Stupid Time Warner...doah! I mean Spectrum.

 

[ksnell]

Jeeze everything released by Apple is so half baked these days.

Where is the real list of supported cable providers because this is a joke!

 

[jerm13]

I wonder if DirectvNow is covered by the Directv link or if that is considered a separate service.

It should be separate. Now and regular DTV are separately listed for HBO Go provider login.

 

[OnTheZone]

I wonder if DirectvNow is covered by the Directv link or if that is considered a separate service.

Separate service, just tried.

 

[MareLuce]

Separate service, just tried.

What is the usage implication of that ?

 

[matty.p]

It should be separate. Now and regular DTV are separately listed for HBO Go provider login.

Now doesn't seem to be supported as of now.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don't see the TV Providers option on the Apple TV under settings.

Edited to add: It is under "Accounts."

 

[RandyK92010]

Anyone having luck with DirectTV? I get "sign in Error We are sorry, but you are not authorized to access this web site.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

At least 100k people will get to try it out...

the first 3 services listed alone equates to about 40 million subscribers

 

[44267547]

Stupid comcast.

Comcast is absolutely worthless and a bottom feeder provider. But they manage to survive.

 

[red41]

Jeeze everything released by Apple is so half baked these days.

Where is the real list of supported cable providers because this is a joke!

How can a beta be half baked?

 

[Traverse]

Stupid Time Warner...doah! I mean Spectrum.

Yeah, I've seen those ads. They can't fool me! Different name, same suck.

 

[JGRE]

So nothing for us in the rest of the world......... We want this too.

 

[avanpelt]

Anyone having luck with DirectTV? I get "sign in Error We are sorry, but you are not authorized to access this web site.

I authenticated fine with my AT&T Master ID. Our DirecTV subscription is linked to our AT&T wireless and AT&T fiber accounts so it's all under one "Master ID".

 

[912181]

Yeah, I've seen those ads. They can't fool me! Different name, same suck.

I have just their internet and it's honestly not that bad compared to competitors in my area. Blows AT&T out of the water in speed and price, but I know that's not saying much.

 

[Jeremy1026]

So nothing for us in the rest of the world......... We want this too.

So do the vast majority of Americans.

 

[912181]

I authenticated fine with my AT&T Master ID. Our DirecTV subscription is linked to our AT&T wireless and AT&T fiber accounts so it's all under one "Master ID".

Same. Did anything show up for you in Watch Now?