Back when Amazon launched its latest version of the Fire TV streaming box in September 2017, it teased single sign-on (SSO) as a feature that users could look forward to seeing in the near future. That day has finally come, as Amazon announced today that the SSO feature is now available to U.S. customers, and will begin rolling out support to several popular channels and apps immediately.
SSO does exactly what it sounds like: It allows users to use a single set of login credentials to sign in to all connected accounts. No more having to memorize a dozen different usernames or passwords, or risk your security by only using one set for every single service or app. SSO will take care of all your logins through a single set of credentials, much like a service such as Last Pass does from your internet logins. This is a very welcome addition to Fire TV, especially considering the the Apple TV, Roku, and Nvidia Shield have all supported SSO for some time. It’s nice to have Amazon up to speed.
In order to use SSO on a Fire TV, you’ll need to have a subscription to a cable or satellite TV provider that provides the SSO service through Adobe Experience Cloud. Supported providers will initially include Dish, DirecTV, AT&T Uverse, Verizon Fios, Cox, and Cablevision (Altice), though Amazon says it’s working with other providers to extend support to more customers.
As for content, a number of popular network TV channels with standalone apps on Fire TV will support SSO. The following is a list of all channels and apps that can be linked to an SSO account as of the feature’s launch:
- Freeform
- A&E
- Travel Channel
- Syfy
- History
- Cooking Channel
- USA
- Lifetime
- AMC
- Bravo
- Turner TCM
- BBC
- E!
- HGTV
- Hallmark
- Telemundo
- Food Network
- CNNgo
- DIY
The official press release for the announcement also lists TBS and TNT as channels that will be supported in the near future, and promises support for additional apps will continue to expand in the coming weeks and months.
Fire TV users in the U.S. who have the required pay TV subscription can begin using SSO now. Users will need to sign in with their TV provider account to unlock all supported apps on their Fire TV.
