Following yesterday's launch of Single Sign-on for iOS and tvOS, two major content providers have implemented support for the feature - Disney and ABC.
According to The Verge, the Watch ABC and Watch Disney apps now work with Single Sign-on, so customers who have cable through a supported provider can log into those apps automatically without needing to re-enter their cable credentials.
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Single Sign-on, for those unfamiliar, is a new feature that allows cable subscribers to log into the Apple TV and iOS devices with their credentials one time, with those credentials then able to authenticate their subscription in all supported apps.
At the current time, Single Sign-on is only available for the following cable providers: CenturyLink, DirecTV, Dish, GVTC, Hawaiian Telcom, GTA, Hotwire, MetroCast, and Sling.
Single Sign-on is also limited to apps that have implemented support for the feature, which is a small list at the current time, limited to channels like Lifetime, NBC, History, Syfy, USA Now, Food Network, and a handful of others.
Now that Single Sign-on is available, additional apps will likely begin implementing support for the service, making it more useful to cable subscribers.
Update: Freeform has also added Single Sign-on support for iOS devices, while FXNOW has added support on tvOS. Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD are the three Disney channels that now support Single Sign-on, on both iOS and tvOS.
Service Electric has also been added as a new provider that supports Single Sign-on.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)This is stupid. It's still tied to a cable subscription. Why not just use your cable service.
Two reasons:[LIST=1]
* There is frequently more content available through the app than your cable provider makes available on demand.
* You can use the apps in places where you either don't have, or don't want, another cable box. You could have an Apple TV in the bedroom and get just the programming you want, rather than renting another box for that room. Or the kids' room can get just the family and children's programming, and no second (or third or fourth) box fees.
Using Sling, PS Vue, or DirectvNOW, you can create a pretty decent DVR of on demand product, integrated with your Netflix, Hulu, etc. channels, and have a one-stop source for TV programming, rather than a bunch of different apps.
Really looking forward to seeing how this develops.
No Comcast Xfinity support. Ugh, how long might that take?
I wouldn't hold your breath. It took Comcast over a year to support HBO GO on PS3/PS4. They are slower than a three legged turtle.