Facebook SDK for tvOS could solve Apple TV's app login problem
Facebook, not Apple, could be the company to streamline tvOS app account authentication, a process that currently requires users punch in login and password information on an app-by-app basis using a cumbersome onscreen keyboard.
In what could be a potential solution, Facebook on Wednesday announced a beta version of its Facebook SDK for tvOS with support for logins. For Apple TV, Facebook Login allows users to enter in a generated onscreen confirmation code on a smartphone or computer, rather than using the Siri Remote to peck out their username and password.
Reviews for Apple's fourth-generation Apple TV were generally positive, but many pointed out an apparent shortcoming in the way tvOS handles app logins. Also noted in AppleInsider's review, tvOS does not support universal authentication, meaning users have to enter account credentials into non-Apple apps like Netflix, Hulu, HBO and more.
Making things worse, Apple decided to ditch Apple TV's onscreen text grid for linear character pickers, one for letters, another for numbers and special characters and a third for caps lock and symbols. The new design also doesn't support cursor wrapping, forcing users to swipe back and forth from one end to the other using Siri Remote's touchpad. Further, VoiceOver has not yet been enabled for text field input despite Apple TV's ability to process voice commands.
Compounding issues is a lack of support for Apple's own Remote app, which grants access to an iOS device's soft keyboard for entering data into text fields. Fourth-generation Apple TV owners are relegated to the Siri Remote or a Bluetooth keyboard.
Alongside logins, Facebook's tvOS SDK features Share to Facebook integration for sharing links, photos, videos and more with friends on the social network. The company is also offering developers access to Facebook analytics, a powerful tool for tracking user engagement across multiple platforms.
In what could be a potential solution, Facebook on Wednesday announced a beta version of its Facebook SDK for tvOS with support for logins. For Apple TV, Facebook Login allows users to enter in a generated onscreen confirmation code on a smartphone or computer, rather than using the Siri Remote to peck out their username and password.
Reviews for Apple's fourth-generation Apple TV were generally positive, but many pointed out an apparent shortcoming in the way tvOS handles app logins. Also noted in AppleInsider's review, tvOS does not support universal authentication, meaning users have to enter account credentials into non-Apple apps like Netflix, Hulu, HBO and more.
Making things worse, Apple decided to ditch Apple TV's onscreen text grid for linear character pickers, one for letters, another for numbers and special characters and a third for caps lock and symbols. The new design also doesn't support cursor wrapping, forcing users to swipe back and forth from one end to the other using Siri Remote's touchpad. Further, VoiceOver has not yet been enabled for text field input despite Apple TV's ability to process voice commands.
Compounding issues is a lack of support for Apple's own Remote app, which grants access to an iOS device's soft keyboard for entering data into text fields. Fourth-generation Apple TV owners are relegated to the Siri Remote or a Bluetooth keyboard.
Alongside logins, Facebook's tvOS SDK features Share to Facebook integration for sharing links, photos, videos and more with friends on the social network. The company is also offering developers access to Facebook analytics, a powerful tool for tracking user engagement across multiple platforms.
Comments
Between tvOS and Apple Music, a bad year for Apple UI/UX in general.
I have neither the interest nor intention of ever using Facebook login.
No, they scrapped bluetooth keyboard support in Gen 4 as well. You are stuck with a bad remote to enter text for everything including searches in YouTube.
Compounding issues is a lack of support for Apple's own Remote app, which grants access to an iOS device's soft keyboard for entering data into text fields. Fourth-generation Apple TV owners are relegated to the Siri Remote or a Bluetooth keyboard.
I thought the new Apple TV didn't support Bluetooth keyboards either.
Between tvOS and Apple Music, a bad year for Apple UI/UX in general.
Maybe the interns at Apple uploaded the Apple Event demo versions of the software instead of the complete versions.
It really rings hollow hearing Tim Cook and the Gang on stage at keynotes constantly repeating, "We really want the best experience for our customers," only to be followed by this craptastic execution of something that is objectively simple when compared to all the other whizbang features of the new OS. I mean, they evidently spent a lot of time making the interface more 3D, with cute little things flying around (for no reason, really), yet they failed to walk down what is probably a few cubes to visit the Remote app team and ask them to update their API so it could work with the new tvOS.
"No way, we prefer 3D flying things over easy text input," said the team.
I think this is a disgrace, UX-wise. I mean, everyone on these AI forums gives Samsung heat for having a crooked "Qualcomm" sticker on Galaxy phones, yet Apple has this fiasco and they seem to be getting a Get Out of Jail FREE card on this one.
On the other hand, when an update does come out in a few months, they'll probably buy ads during Walking Dead announcing the "Wonderful new Remote app, an app that can only come from Apple. This is version 1.0. There was no prior version (insert Obi-Wan Kenobi hand wave)."
I can't believe that Apple hasn't bothered yet to even allow iOS and Watch remotes to work. Really quite strange, even tone deaf. I don't think that the product rises to the level of the claim of "the future of television." Not by a long shot.
Is there anything in Eddy Cue's org that would be considered best in class? Maybe Apple Pay but that's about it. Check out the latest App Store snafu. http://www.allenpike.com/2015/the-worst-app/ Makes you wonder if humans are reviewing what gets on the App Store.
<snip> Tim Cook and the Gang of White Dudes </snip>
This right here tells us more about your actual beef than anything else on your post.
Stay classy.
This note was at the end of his post:
"Update: Multiple helpful folks from Apple promptly reached out about this post, and I see that Music Player & Playlist Playtube manager has now been removed from the App Store. This is a win for users and a win for my support inbox.
In the longer term, I hope they put together a policy to deal with this kind of scam. This is surely not the only offending app. In fact, I was notified today that another scam app just went up that uses our website as their support link. Still, forming good policies takes time, so I wanted to thank the folks at Apple. They do care."
That said... Why does everyone have so many issues with logins..?
You do it once and you are set... At least for us thats the way it works.. Both for itunes and netflix...and about 15 different apps we have downloaded..
Once set and signed in we dont have to repeat anymore..
Either we are missing something here or ..........?? Please let me know..
To me the biggest problem is the conspicuous omission of folders..
Why for heavens sake... Who is in Charge?
And complete negligence of the music end on siri and how the new remote functions with music ...riddled with holes ?.... ..( including some remote ergonomic issues overall... Though overall i love the new remote and its potential .)
At the end if the day its all softwares issues .. They can be quickly solved if Apple LISTENS ????
My question to Apple is:
Whats up... What is going one with all of these obviouse issues?
Why the half backed releases lately ..??
I rather have a few SOLID, well thought out features rather than a bunch of half backed ones ...
It's scary that it even happens in the first place.
Ugh! Why is everyone focusing on FB here. This is simply an intelligent solutions that doesn't require you to authenticate on the Apple TV using a complex username and password. This has been used by Google and other companies on the Apple TV (and likely other media appliances) for many years now. Yes, this is exactly what Apple should do, as well as allow for iCloud backups and restores from iCloud.
Because many people are explicitly trying to avoid all things Facebook and Google in order to preserve some modicum of privacy online. Having third party services rely on "universal login" from either of these crappy companies is hardly a desirable solution, especially to mitigate something as ridiculous as the lack of support for the remote app and BT keyboards in the Apple TV. Among other reasons, we are Apple customers because we choose not to volunteer our personal information to be bought and sold in exchange for some crappy "free" service.
I don't get why people have issues with the remote it works perfectly fine for me. I love it.
The remote is fine for everything except text input. No one has enjoyed entering multiple logins on their new Apple TV using Apple's crappy on-screen keyboard. They had a perfectly good Remote app that allowed you to use your iPhone's keyboard for this purpose yet they excluded support for the app for some reason.