AT&T rolls social TV apps Miso, BuddyTV Guide, TV Foundry, Wayin

AT&T (NYSE: T) leaped past cable and satellite rivals that are beginning to experiment with social TV apps by debuting apps that allow its U-verse TV subscribers to do everything from create customized program guides to use their mobile phone or tablet as a remote control.

AT&T introduced four new apps for U-verse customers

The IPTV provider unveiled four apps on Monday for U-verse customers. It's the first pay TV provider to use BuddyTV Guide, which lets subscribers create customizable program guides. Following a recent launch on DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV), AT&T launched Miso, which allows subscribers to share program recommendations with friends and to view companion content from TV series on mobile devices. It also launched TV Foundry, which lets subscribers search for TV shows, trailers and interviews, and share content with friends via Facebook and Twitter, and it launched Wayin, which is designed to allow subscribers to voice their opinions about shows they are watching.

While any pay TV subscriber can download social TV apps such as Miso to mobile phones and tablets, AT&T and DirecTV are the first pay providers to allow subscribers to link the apps to their set-tops via a WiFi connection. That allows their subscribers to use the apps to change channels on a digital set-top. Verizon (NYSE: VZ) also allows subscribers to use mobile devices to control their set-tops through its new MY FiOS app.

A trial Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is conducting in Georgia for its next generation Xfinity TV service includes a Facebook app that subscribers can access through the TV. But the nation's largest cable MSO hasn't yet announced plans to integrate its digital cable product with social TV apps such as Miso.

For more:
- see AT&T's release

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