NBC App Now Supports Apple's Single Sign-on Feature on iPhone and iPad

[MacRumors]

NBC has updated its iPhone and iPad app with support for Apple's Single Sign-on feature, as spotted by Engadget.

Now, iPhone and iPad users with a cable or satellite TV subscription can sign in once with their TV provider credentials to gain access to content in the NBC app alongside all other supported apps that their pay TV subscription includes.

Single Sign-on is available in the United States only for these providers: Blue Ridge, Cable ONE, CenturyLink Prism, DIRECTV, Dish, Grande Communications, GVTC, GTA, Hawaiian Telcom, Hotwire, MetroCast, Service Electric, and Sling TV.

To enable Single Sign-on on iOS devices, open the Settings app and scroll down to "TV Providers" to sign in. From then on, when accessing a supported app that requires a cable subscription, the app will ask to use the saved sign-on credentials.

NBC's app, available for free on the App Store [Direct Link], also supports Single Sign-on on tvOS for the fourth-generation Apple TV.

Article Link: NBC App Now Supports Apple's Single Sign-on Feature on iPhone and iPad

 

[Lord Hamsa]

Glad to see more apps using this, but when is the providers list going to be expanded? I mean major carriers like Verizon FIOS aren't on the list (and while DirecTV is, DirecTV Now isn't).

 

[RobNYC]

Glad to see more apps using this, but when is the providers list going to be expanded? I mean major carriers like Verizon FIOS aren't on the list (and while DirecTV is, DirecTV Now isn't).

That's my complaint too. Verizon FIOS still hasn't signed up yet.

 

[jmh600cbr]

Still not available in Canada on iOS 11

 

[Avieshek]

CNBC?

 

[TurboPGT!]

Whoa...almost forgot about this feature after it completely bombed at launch.

No significant provider yet supports SSO.

Very few Apps support SSO.

Major holdouts still remain from the TV App. I'm close to cancelling Netflix over this, as the TV app drives almost everything for me.

 

[Juicy Box]

Single Sign-on is available in the United States only for these providers: Blue Ridge, Cable ONE, CenturyLink Prism, DIRECTV, Dish, Grande Communications, GVTC, GTA, Hawaiian Telcom, Hotwire, MetroCast, Service Electric, and Sling TV

The idea of SSO is great, and it is what many people have been wanting, but given that the big Cable companies like Comcast, Verizon, and TWC are not support, it is pretty much a useless feature for most of us.

 

[yanksfan114]

I really don't understand the reasoning for big companies like Comcast, Verizon, or TWC not supporting SSO. Do they want use to log on every app through their portal for some extra screen time with their logo? Do they purposely want their customers to hate them more than they do right now?

 

[docal97]

The idea of SSO is great, and it is what many people have been wanting, but given that the big Cable companies like Comcast, Verizon, and TWC are not support, it is pretty much a useless feature for most of us.

Most people have Comcast or Verizon, interesting that they have not been added yet. So the feature, while great in concept, is useless for most.

 

[mrr]

Where is Frontier Communications?

 

[Juicy Box]

I really don't understand the reasoning for big companies like Comcast, Verizon, or TWC not supporting SSO. Do they want use to log on every app through their portal for some extra screen time with their logo? Do they purposely want their customers to hate them more than they do right now?

This is just a guess, but I suspect it has to do with equipment rentals and maybe sharing log-ins.

I think the big Cable companies purposely make it more difficult than it needs to be to log into the many different channels on devices such as the ATV. It makes their STBs more attractive to rent over having to re-authenticate many times on many different devices. SSO would further make STBs more pointless to rent/use.

Example, for some reason, I have to re-authenticate the AMC app on the ATV4 every week. While it doesn't take long, it is pretty inconvenient, and if I am using multiple devices, it could become very time consuming.

The Nick Jr app on the ATV4 does not need to be re-authenticating as often as the AMC app, but I find it to be a PITA to re-authenticate due to the situation I am usually in when I turn it on. I sometimes turn it on when I am trying to entertain my infant while making her food, as she really like Dog Patrol. Having to stop everything I am doing to re-authenticate is a pain.

Having a STB in these situation would be more convenient in some ways.

Another thought I had on why the big companies won't do SSO is that maybe they fear it might make account sharing more convenient and easier.

Although, I could be totally wrong on the matter. Anyone else have ideas on why?

 

[mariusignorello]

Comcast...... where are you??

 

[Bill Av]

I really don't understand the reasoning for big companies like Comcast, Verizon, or TWC not supporting SSO. Do they want use to log on every app through their portal for some extra screen time with their logo? Do they purposely want their customers to hate them more than they do right now?

I would assume that the cable companies don't feel like slitting their own throats. It's pretty much designed to make Apple a leading equipment provider. Why rent a cable box when you can buy an AppleTV/iPad/iPhone? Setup is easy - just login with your AppleID. In fact,why even buy TV service from the cable company? Just get data from them and buy HBO GO. And you if you buy it through iTunes, it'll be even easier (just a 30% convenience fee)

 

[macsba]

This is crazy. NBC, a free over the air network requiring an ISP sign on. This shouldn't be necessary. Should be able to launch the app and watch the shows without being hindered.

 

[Lord Hamsa]

I would assume that the cable companies don't feel like slitting their own throats. It's pretty much designed to make Apple a leading equipment provider. Why rent a cable box when you can buy an AppleTV/iPad/iPhone? Setup is easy - just login with your AppleID. In fact,why even buy TV service from the cable company? Just get data from them and buy HBO GO. And you if you buy it through iTunes, it'll be even easier (just a 30% convenience fee)

I'm not so sure the cable boxes are that big of a cash cow (though the certainly inflate the bill) - one of the reasons DirecTV is pushing the streaming services is that they want to get out of the business of dealing with hardware.

 

[Juicy Box]

I'm not so sure the cable boxes are that big of a cash cow (though the certainly inflate the bill) - one of the reasons DirecTV is pushing the streaming services is that they want to get out of the business of dealing with hardware.

I think Satellite companies are a little bit different, considering that many of them have options to sell the STBs. I think they depend less on equipment rentals.

A company like Comcast is doubling down on their STBs with their relatively new X1 OS. I think I remember a MR article a few years ago that Apple and Comcast was in talks about using the ATV as a STB. Later on, it looked like Comcast was not interested due to it rolling out the new X1 STBs.

This all might change in the future, but as of now, I would bet that the large Cable providers do not want to give up their rentals.

 

[mariusignorello]

You know what’s sad... Comcast owns NBC and they refuse to support SSO. But two different divisions I guess.

 

[subjonas]

DIRECTV but not DIRECTV NOW? C'mon what is the holdup?!

 

[KUguardgrl13]

Wide Open West (WOW!) had just shown up recently on single sign on. Of course they just sold the market where I live to Midco. Guess who owns 49% of Midco? Comcast.