NBC adds single sign-on support for Apple's iPhone & iPad

NBC has updated its iPhone and iPad app with support for Apple's single sign-on standard, allowing quicker access to the network's shows wherever provider credentials are valid.

Previously NBC only supported single sign-on through its Apple TV app. Because logins are connected to Apple IDs, people signed into the iOS app should now be automatically logged into their Apple TV, and vice versa.

People without an Apple TV should nevertheless find it easier to access NBC shows in other iOS apps, such as Apple's official "TV" interface.

Single sign-on was originally announced a little over a year ago at WWDC 2016, but only launched last December. Even then support was limited to just four U.S. TV providers, and a relative handful of apps, though the NBC Apple TV app was among them.

More apps have since added support. The number of TV providers has also expanded, though there are conspicuous gaps such as Spectrum, Comcast, AT&T U-verse, and Google Fiber.

The NBC iOS app has also been refined with improved in-app search, and various bugfixes. It's a free download for devices with iOS 9 or later.

5 Comments

thrang 1032 comments · 17 Years

About 7 years ago

Can you leave the politics out of your images?

jbdragon 2312 comments · 10 Years

Why even have a sign on, on FREE Broadcast TV channels? I don't think the CW does that? They allow access to all of their content also for free, unlike CBS trying to scam people out of another $6 a month for stuff that used to be free on their channel in the past.

flaneur 4525 comments · 14 Years

thrang said:

Can you leave the politics out of your images?

It's just the best thing that's been on NBC in many years, and probably the only reason they've had any ratings growth at all recently.

It's not about politics, it's about mass therapy in response to a planetary emergency.

boltsfan17 2294 comments · 12 Years

flaneur said:

thrang said:

Can you leave the politics out of your images?

It's just the best thing that's been on NBC in many years, and probably the only reason they've had any ratings growth at all recently.

It's not about politics, it's about mass therapy in response to a planetary emergency.

Planetary emergency? I think you mean therapy for all the crybabies.

daven 718 comments · 16 Years

jbdragon said:

Why even have a sign on, on FREE Broadcast TV channels? I don't think the CW does that? They allow access to all of their content also for free, unlike CBS trying to scam people out of another $6 a month for stuff that used to be free on their channel in the past.

Because of contracts with local stations. Local stations contract with the networks to broadcast shows over the air and in return they make money by selling local advertising. They also charge cable companies a fee to carry their local station on the cable system. With single sign on, the local station is assured that it is receiving some revenue from a viewer as they are paying through a cable or satellite provider. This makes up for a loss in advertising revenue because their estimated viewership numbers may be lower and hence the revenue they get from ads is lower. CBS opens up their app to any user, no cable or satellite service required, so they need to make money somehow and that is by charging a monthly fee.

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