Is it confirmed that HBO Go will be supporting Apple’s TV app? If yes, then how has this been made possible? Moreover, what is that ‘single sign-on feature’ in the Apple’s TV app that everybody is talking about? We will provide you with answers to all these questions in our blog post.
The bet that Apple has played by releasing TV app is now ready to give it benefits. HBO has launched an update for its HBO GO app, which will allow Apple TV users to access more features. The software that is installed on Apple TV has gotten the support of premium cable network’s HBO Now app from the very first day of the launch of Apple TV.
Now, things have changed and HBO Go app that was available through a cable operator is getting an update in which, a new feature single sign-on will be added. With this feature, subscribers will be able to store their login details without any issue. This is an amazing feature because it eliminates the need for the subscribers to sign into HBO GO separately at the time of tapping through to a show that is available on HBO from within the TV app.
This update will also have some other features, but there is one feature in particular that got my attention, i.e., tracking of the viewing habits of the subscribers. Let us discuss this feature in detail. The company is going to keep a track of the viewing habits of HBO subscribers who get this new update. The company will gather all kinds of data related to what their subscribers watch and what they wanted to see, and this data will be entered into the Apple’s software.
What does this mean for you?
If you are an HBO subscriber and have linked your HBO Go account, then you are going to see certain suggestions that are generated algorithmically in the tab named ‘What’s Next’. If you want to add your favorite shows to a list where it will be easy for you to watch them, then you need to add the shows to ‘Up Next’ list. If you tap on a show, let it be any show, then you will be asked to bypass HBO Go in order to watch that show. If you want, you can use universal search features that are given by Apple in its TV app to search for your favorite HBO programming.
I really feel that the appeal of Apple’s TV app has been increased multiple times with the addition of HBO Go. But, there are still a number of big names that are missing from the network. A few weeks ago, ESPN has added its support for two apps, i.e., WatchESPN and ESPN iOS apps. People can use the single sign-on feature to access these apps. Besides ESPN, Disney also supports the app, thus giving you the opportunity to Watch Disney and Watch ABC app.
But, the lack of support for Verizon FiOS, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Optimum and Charter is making people think twice as to whether they should use this platform or wait until these apps are included. One more big name is also missing from the network, i.e., Netflix, though some reports claiming a completely different story. People can locate Netflix shows through TV app’s search function, but people can’t use sign sign-on feature and the app doesn’t share any data with Apple’s software.
The latest HBO Go update also includes ‘recent’ feature, which will allow users to see movies and shows that people watch on their home screen. This was not possible in the past, as people used to search for their favorite movies and shows via a complicated search bar and had to relocate the show if it didn’t get a chance to move onto the homepage. The company has worked hard to get rid of this complication and now, HBO GO subscribers can easily enjoy all the necessary features that Hulu, Netflix, and all other streaming apps are offering for quite some time now.