Spectrum finally rolls out promised Apple TV app with zero sign-on support

Having missed an original 2018 deadline, Charter Spectrum on Thursday finally released its promised Apple TV app with support for tvOS 12's "zero sign-on" functions.

The Spectrum TV app lets users watch any channel or on-demand title associated with their TV bundle. Zero sign-on authenticates subscriptions in the app automatically, but only if a customer also has a Spectrum internet plan.

Until tvOS 12 the most the Apple TV offered was single sign-on, letting people enter their TV credentials once and have them pass to any app with the same compatibility. Not all apps support the feature, and some providers may not be compatible across the board, but the addition was a welcome change from having to repeatedly enter the same login.

Apple all but confirmed that the Spectrum app would miss 2018 in mid-December, when it changed marketing language from "later this year" to "coming soon." Around the same time early signs of zero sign-on appeared.

While Spectrum is a U.S.-based company, other providers enabling the Apple TV as a cable/satellite box replacement include France's Canal and Switzerland's Salt.

14 Comments

supadav03 10 Years · 503 comments

About 5 years ago

So if I’m not in spectrum’s normal service footprint can you still sign up for service with them & just use this app?

wood1208 10 Years · 2938 comments

So from big cable, Streaming service providers, who is still not on Apple-TV single sign on bandwagon.

supadav03 said:

So if I’m not in spectrum’s normal service footprint can you still sign up for service with them & just use this app?

Not 1005 sure but typically you have to be on the same Internet connection/package from Comcast/Spectrum to take advantage of it.

wood1208 said:

supadav03 said:

So if I’m not in spectrum’s normal service footprint can you still sign up for service with them & just use this app?

Not 1005 sure but typically you have to be on the same Internet connection/package from Comcast/Spectrum to take advantage of it.

No go. Spoke to Spectrum and you need to be on their internet service to use app. So you have to be in the spectrum footprint.

So tired of SSO. Still required way to much work. I’m constantly login into apps. Like on a daily basis. Really need for my ATV to just recognize my home WiFi and log me right in the Spectrum is allowing. Please AT&T or Comcast, allow “Zero Sign-On” 🙏🏼

jimh2 8 Years · 670 comments

More life support for cable companies. Wireless will take them down in the end along with their channel packaging, forced local channels and a bunch of crap you do not want.