The BBC will launch a range of free mobile applications to deliver its online content to mobile devices, with the possibility of an iPlayer application for smartphone users ready by the end of this year.The broadcaster is reportedly planning to launch mobile apps for BBC News in April followed by apps for BBC Sport in […]
The BBC will launch a range of free mobile applications to deliver its online content to mobile devices, with the possibility of an iPlayer application for smartphone users ready by the end of this year.The broadcaster is reportedly planning to launch mobile apps for BBC News in April followed by apps for BBC Sport in May. The BBC will launch both apps in a UK and a global version.
The news app will first be available on the iPhone from April, with apps compatible with the BlackBerry and devices based on Google’s Android operating system and others following shortly after. The sports app will be launched in time for the football World Cup in June. Erik Huggers, the director of future media and technology at the corporation, yesterday announced plans to launch apps for BBC News and BBC Sport for the first time as well as a dedicated app for the iPlayer, its online catch-up service.
19/02/2010
The broadcaster will initially release the apps on Apple iPhones and iPods, and on Blackberry and Android operating systems later this year.
A range of unauthorised BBC applications are developed by some third-party developers. The broadcaster has reportedly served cease-and-desist orders to such developers.
This is the first time it has developed the full apps for news and sport, and it will overhaul its iPlayer app, which is little more than a link to the website in its existing state.
The BBC said it experienced a 40% jump in users accessing its websites via mobile phone on what Mr Huggers termed “the snow day” of 2 February last year.
