Linking multiple third-party accounts for a mobile app?

Question

My user wants to access personal content from her Spotify, Soundcloud and other third-party accounts through one native mobile application. Imagine a music player for any personal library.

The challenge I face is having our user link all of her accounts. Some may be linked using a Facebook login while others may not. What might a simple authentication process flow like? What's the best interface for 'linking' multiple accounts, especially if they all are accessed through different email/password combinations?

Keep in mind this flow would be for both a native Android and iOS application.

Thanks, Dan

Answer 1

I have a web-application that requires the same thing. I present the multiple social-networks in a list of buttons. First two buttons are to select one (of two) primary social networks:

[ Use Facebook ]
[ Use Twitter ]

Once the user has connected one of these two primary (or both) I then present the rest of the networks to connect to

[ Use Tumblr ]
[ Use Pinterest ]
[ Use SoundCloud ]

I'm requiring my users to pick one of the "big two" and the prompting them for the ones I want.

Once their account is created in my system, through a primary interface then I can merge their second-level accounts into their internal profile in my app. Each site I've integrated with has required some oAuth2 integrations.

Answer 2

Single Sign-on

From the good old days of integrating multiple chat clients (gtalk, aim, yahoo, msn) into a single system (like Meebo!!), this Design-Technical challenge has always been around.

As highlighted in the solution suggested by @edoceo above, oAuth2 requirements are a standard.

On the design aspects, Once the user progressively registers with individual services in your app over time, ensure to maintain this state across platforms and devices. This will give a seamless feel and takes off the hassle of re-registering when migrating or reinstalling.

The image reference below is one of the first single sign-on solution that I had always admired during the good old Nokia days. The apps have changed, the way we communicate changed, but the design challenge is always around.