Entering one's cable account login details each and every time when accessing TV apps on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV is bothersome. Apple is fixing a major pain point with a new feature called Single Sign-on, which lets user enter login credentials just once and gain access to a number of apps from the big networks automatically depending on which cable company the user is subscribed to. This is limited to participating cable providers.
iOS Single Sign-On Feature: Major Cable And Satellite Companies Participate
According to The Verge, the list of provider is restricted to the following cable and satellite companies: the CenturyLink Prism, Direct TV, Dish, GTA, GVTC, Hawaiian Telcom, Hotwire, MetroCast, and Sling TV. It can be noted that Apple's missing some big names like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Verizon FiOS and Optimum. Nonetheless, Apple expects to add more cable providers over the coming weeks and months. It's at least got satellite pretty well covered with DirecTV, Dish, and Sling TV.
It isi important to note that the single sign-on only works for certain apps and, even then, sometimes only the iOS or Apple TV version. Here's the list of some that support the feature on day one: A&E (iOS only), Bravo Now (tvOS only), Hallmark Channel Everywhere (iOS and tvOS), E! Now (tvOS only), Lifetime (iOS only), and NBC (iOS only).
Other Features And Availability Of The Single Sign-On
Apple pointed out the single sign-on feature in June and made it accessible last November to those with access to the tvOS 10.1 and 10.2 betas. It wasn't outright clear when the feature might be available internationally, cites CNET.
TvOS also offers a new feature called Live Tune-in, which lets the user open live programming streams from certain networks by just commanding Siri to set them on. Also, no one's being required to add single sign-on to their software; it's strictly a convenience thing.