Microsoft has launched a new iOS app for Windows Azure Active Directory users this week. The app is compatible with both the iPhone and the iPad, and it provides instant sign-in to dozens of cloud applications using a single Windows Azure account.
For those unfamiliar with Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory service, it’s described as a ‘comprehensive identity and access management cloud solution.’ But the feature that the iOS app focuses on is single sign-on access to various web apps and services…
Here’s the description from Microsoft:
Provide single sign-on across your cloud applications
Deliver a seamless, single sign-on experience to your users across Microsoft online services, applications built on Windows Azure and hundreds of popular non-Microsoft cloud applications. Make it easier for end users to quickly and effectively launch cloud applications from within their personalized web-based Access Panel.
This app is a no-brainer for folks who work for a company or organization that uses Windows Azure Active Directory, and I’m sure others could benefit from it as well. Imagine being able to login to dozens of web services by simply signing into a single account.
If you’re interested, you can find ‘My Apps – Windows Azure Active Directory’ in the App Store for free. Obviously, though, it requires a Windows Azure Active Directory account, which has pricing that ranges from free to $199 per month depending on features.