BBC launches iPlayer Radio: a separate radio-only mobile app and web UI
No one can accuse the BBC of neglecting radio in its quest for streaming nirvana -- not when the number of radio listeners on iPlayer has shot up 56 percent in a year (and 300 percent on tablets). Nevertheless, from tomorrow morning, iPhone users will find a brand new way to listen to their favorite content: a dedicated radio app with a spinning dial which -- compared to the regular iPlayer app -- will put much greater emphasis on live shows rather than catch-up. There'll also be mobile-friendly features like an alarm clock which will wake you up to your choice of show, reminders for shows you just can't miss, and the ability to identify current and recently-played songs at a glance. The app will reach Android too, as soon as some Flash-related difficulties have been ironed out, and its alarm function will benefit from slightly better multi-tasking on Google's OS, so you won't have to leave the app open before you fall asleep. If you don't want to wait or if you're outside the UK, check out the desktop iPlayer at the source link, or the gallery below, and you'll see just what the Corporation's philosophy about treating radio differently -- rather than as "TV minus video" -- actually looks like.
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BBC launches iPlayer Radio: a new home for BBC Radio across PC, mobile
and tablet
Launching today, BBC iPlayer Radio is a new dedicated home for BBC radio
available across multiple platforms.
With BBC iPlayer Radio, BBC radio is now with you wherever you go:
- Wake up to your favourite BBC station and listen on the move with the
new smartphone app
- Discover the full breadth of BBC content with a new radio experience
across PC, mobile and tablet
- Catch-up any time you want via access to on-demand content, clips,
videos and downloads
BBC iPlayer Radio app for smartphones
The brand new BBC iPlayer Radio smartphone app, available today on iOS
with Android to follow soon, transforms your access to BBC radio
programmes. With the app, you can wake up with your favourite breakfast
show and instantly find the breadth of BBC radio at your fingertips:
- Set the alarm and wake up with your favourite DJ or programme
- Spin through the touchscreen dial and listen live to the whole range
of BBC Radio stations
- Swipe to reveal on-demand catch-up content and videos on every station
page
- Set programme reminders to ensure you never miss favourite shows
- Easily discover what tracks are playing and share with friends
New radio experience across PC, mobile and tablet
BBC iPlayer Radio brings the on-demand experience of iPlayer together
with new homepages for BBC radio stations, into one dedicated radio
platform, making it even easier to listen to live, catch-up and archive
content across devices.
At launch, BBC iPlayer Radio delivers live radio alongside videos,
clips, downloads, social media feeds and more. In the coming months this
will be further developed, as more access to content direct from DJs and
presenters creates a two-way conversation between audience and studio.
Daniel Danker, General Manager, Programmes and On-Demand for the BBC,
said: "BBC iPlayer Radio is radio for an audience that expects to access
our content anywhere: now you truly can take BBC Radio with you wherever
you go.
It's also radio for an audience that wants greater choice and control.
They want to listen again when they choose, to personalise their
listening experience, to share tracks they've discovered with friends.
BBC iPlayer Radio delivers all of these things, in a simple, consistent,
easy to navigate way. At the heart of it is the BBC's quality radio
programmes, and iPlayer Radio sets those programmes free like never
before."
Mark Friend, Controller, Multiplatform and Interactive, BBC Audio &
Music, said: "BBC iPlayer Radio is the platform on which we will develop
radio stations as fully multimedia brands so that as well as listen,
audiences will be able to watch, share and engage with BBC radio. Our
next steps will be to make live radio more interactive, make it easier
for people to enjoy the BBC's vast audio archive and strengthen radio's
position as the number one place for discovering music in the UK."
BBC radio listening across mobile and tablet devices has risen
significantly over the past 12 months, reflecting growing audience
demand for access to content anywhere. Year-on-year, monthly iPlayer
requests for radio have increased 56% to 2.8m on mobile, and 300% to
1.2m on tablet.
