Google announces Google+ Sign-In

Google today announced Google+ Sign-In, a new feature that allows web and app developers the ability to add an application sign-in for users via Google+. Similar to Facebook Connect, Google+ Sign-In provides a single login for websites and mobile apps that lets users bring along their social graph.

The same login users have signed into for Gmail, YouTube or any other service can now be used to sign into non-Google apps. Users have the ability to control what data they share with the app and the people who can see their activity. For extra security purposes, users can enable Google’s optional 2-step verification when signing in.

Google+ Sign-In works for web apps, iOS apps and Android apps, but Android apps get an added bonus. If a product has both a website and Android app that uses Google+ Sign-In, a user can sign into the web app and then install the mobile app on their Android device with one click.

Google+ Sign-In also allows users to choose what they share and who they share it with, including which circles. There’s two types of sharing when signed into an app via Google+ Sign In. First, users can passively share app activity such as posting a new high score in a game, which are posts that won’t show up in the news feed for the people in a user’s circles. Second, posts that do show up in the news feed include what Google calls “interactive” posts, which feature a call to action button and are designed to stand out in the news feed. For example, a user can share a product they purchased, a radio station they listen to or invite people to see a movie via Flixster. If a user clicks on any call to action, they are taken to the website or app for the given interactive post.

Developers who are already on board with Google+ Sign-In include Fitbit, Flixster, OpenTable, Shazam and more. Developers interested in implementing Google+ Sign-In can find out more here.