“Apple wants to take the hassle out of signing into and authenticating apps on its Apple TV device — but its latest push for a simpler TV experience may not actually work for everyone,” Janko Roettgersreports reports for Variety. “That’s because Apple doesn’t yet seem to have the backing of some major pay TV operators for the new feature.”
“Single sign-on aims to take the pain out of authenticated TV services like Watch ABC, HBO Go and Showtime Anytime by taking away the need to sign into every single app. Instead, users will be able to sign into just one app, and automatically be authenticated for all other pay TV apps available to them,” Roettgersreports reports. “The new feature will be available on both Apple TV as well as iPhones and iPads in the U.S. this fall — if your TV provider is on board, that is.”
“Apple showed off Dish as a participating operator during the WWDC keynote, but didn’t mention any other supporting operators, and an Apple spokesperson didn’t respond to repeated requests from Variety on the issue,” Roettgersreports reports. “That’s not to say that Apple may not be able to sway some TV operators to allow single sign-on when it eventually becomes available this fall. But it’s far from certain that the new feature will work for everyone.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s official press materials describe single sign-on as follows:
For the first time, customers in the US will have a simplified way of enjoying pay-TV video channels by using single sign-on. Starting this fall, users only have to sign in once on Apple TV to enjoy immediate access to their favorite video channels that are included as part of their pay-TV subscription.
• Once a user is signed into one network app, any other app on Apple TV from participating pay-TV providers will automatically log the user into all other supported apps requiring authentication.
• During the single sign-on process, customers can view a page of all the authenticated apps that a pay-TV provider offers to more easily discover, download and enjoy all of their favorite video channels.
• Any network-TV app can take advantage of this technology to enable single sign-on and simplify the process for their viewers.
• Single sign-on will be available on both Apple TV and iOS.Apple’s footnote does state: “Features are subject to change.”