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BBC+ puts all the BBC's best content in one personalised app
Between news, TV, radio programming and more, the BBC is constantly producing a vast array of content. There's far too much for any one person to consume, and on top of that it's all distributed across various websites, iPlayer and the like. As a public service broadcaster, the BBC is required to accommodate a broad range of interests, and BBC+ -- a new iOS and Android app launching today -- is all about highlighting what's relevant to you, the licence fee payer that funds it all.
BBC to put major new drama series on iPlayer before it airs on TV
While the BBC is increasingly choosing to air new programmes on iPlayer before they appear on TV, the broadcaster has typically restricted output to low-risk shows and specials. However, with its new supernatural drama, The Living And The Dead, the Beeb has decided it's time to change that mindset -- it'll debut all six episodes this Friday (June 17th), two weeks before they start being broadcast on TV.
BBC opens up iPlayer to outside content for the first time
Last September, the BBC put forward a number of proposals to make iPlayer and the rest of its broadcasting services more "open" and distinctive. One of these was a pledge to allow other people and broadcasters to distribute their programming through iPlayer. On April 23rd, the BBC will be kickstarting this initiative with Shakespeare Lives, a six-month celebration of the famous playwright. Recordings from the British Film Institute (BFI), the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Shakespeare's Globe and the Royal Opera House will all be made available on iPlayer for the first time.
All Amazon Fire TV devices now have the major UK catch-up apps
If you prefer to catch-up on TV shows instead of watching them as they air, Amazon's latest announcement might be of interest. After bringing all major UK broadcasters to the Fire TV, the company has turned its attention to the streamer's smaller sibling, the Fire TV Stick, confirming today that the HDMI dongle now supports BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 and My5. It doesn't matter which Fire TV or Fire TV Stick model you own, they now all feature catch-up apps provided by the UK's biggest broadcasters. Add to that support Amazon's own Video service, Netflix and other major streaming services and you've got yourself a few reasons to skip your traditional TV box entirely.
BBC Three is now an online-only channel
For sentimentality's sake, we hope you indulged in your pre-bed ritual of catching a cheeky episode of American Dad! on BBC Three last night -- because as of the early hours of this morning, it ceased to exist as a broadcast channel. For the next few weeks, it'll be repurposed to promote BBC Three's new online-only identity before disappearing from your TV's EPG... forever. The switch has been a long time coming, of course, with the BBC setting the ball rolling almost two years ago as part of continued cost-cutting measures. Despite some opposition from the public, the BBC Trust formally approved the broadcaster's plan for an online-only BBC Three late last year, and that transition has concluded today.
iPlayer now lets you search shows from your iOS home screen
Boot up your iPhone or iPad today and you'll notice a fresh BBC iPlayer update in the UK App Store. The latest version adds support for Spotlight search, meaning you can swipe down from the top of your home screen and type in favourites like Doctor Who, Dickensian or Match of the Day. Available episodes should appear right in the feed, making it easier to kick back with some on-demand video. In addition, the BBC has enabled Apple's Handoff feature today, making it easier to pause a programme on one device and pick it up again immediately on another. Nifty.
Matt LeBlanc will be one of the new 'Top Gear' presenters
If you've been following the new series of Top Gear, you'll probably know that the BBC has been hunting for on-screen partners for presenter Chris Evans. There's already been plenty of speculation over who will join him, but today the Beeb announced it's found its first co-host: Friends and Joey star Matt LeBlanc.
BBC Radio 1 will broadcast a monthly gaming show
Slowly but surely, BBC Radio 1 has expanded beyond radio and into social and video. It now has its own iPlayer video channel, for instance, which hosts original shows, Live Lounge recordings and interviews with musicians and celebrities. MCV reports that for its next trick, Radio 1 has commissioned a new gaming show, titled The Radio 1 Gaming Show, which will launch in March be hosted by games presenter and YouTuber Julia Hardy.
BBC iPlayer comes to the Apple TV
The new Apple TV has been available for a little over six weeks and there are more than 2,600 apps available. However, dedicated UK apps have been few and far between. Sky's Now TV is on the platform, but we've had to bide our time while the BBC readies its own app. Luckily, that wait is now over. Coming just ahead of the holidays, the new BBC iPlayer app lets you dig into the Beeb's live and on-demand content across all of its channels.
BBC iPlayer to show trailers before programmes
When you next load up The Bridge on iPlayer, there's a good chance the BBC will try to tempt you with another show. The broadcaster has announced today that short trailers will now be shown ahead of programmes automatically. They'll be skippable, so hopefully the feature won't be too bothersome when you're trying to catch up with Newsnight over breakfast before work. For now these teasers are limited to the iPlayer website, specifically the Flash video player, although the BBC says it'll be rolled out to the HTML version and other platforms next year. To aid discovery, the BBC is also developing a bookmark tool so that you can easily retrieve a show you saw before The Great British Bake Off.
BBC Three to go off air and move online in February next year
The writing is well and truly on the wall: BBC Three will cease to exist as a broadcast TV channel from February next year. The plan to take BBC Three off the air and reinvent it online has been a long time coming, as part of an ongoing cost-cutting exercise that may also spell the death of the BBC's Red Button services. The BBC Trust provisionally approved the move this summer ahead of a final review of how the transition to an online-only channel would be handled. Today, the broadcaster's governing body has issued its final decision, formally green lighting BBC Three's digital transformation.
BBC iPlayer is finally coming to Apple TV
In its bid to bring programming to the largest possible audience, the BBC supports all manner of hardware and devices for its popular iPlayer service. iPhone and iPad owners have been able to stream on-demand for some time, but the company never completed the set by making it available natively on Apple TV. Now that Cupertino's new streamer is up for pre-order, however, the Beeb has decided to put everyone out of their misery: it today announced that a dedicated iPlayer app is coming to Apple's latest set-top box.
BBC iPlayer now offers personalised suggestions after each programme
Across its TV, radio and online operations, the BBC produces a ton of new content every day. Making sense of it all on iPlayer and ultimately finding something to watch can, therefore, be a little daunting if you have specific tastes and interests. Thankfully, the BBC seems to have noticed and is now rolling out recommendations on iPlayer. So if you're signed in with a BBC ID, you'll see a carousel at the end of each programme filled with suggestions based on your iPlayer history. It's a small change, but one that should increase the amount of time people spend on iPlayer -- always handy for the BBC as it defends the licence fee -- and also help some of its niche content to find a larger audience.
BBC begins phasing out Flash with new HTML5 iPlayer trial
Now that Chrome and Firefox are treating Flash like an unwanted guest, online companies are weighing up whether supporting the browser plugin is worth their time. The BBC currently utilises it for its popular iPlayer service, but it's already working on an alternative. The Beeb announced today that it's launched an open beta for its new HTML5 player, giving you the option to watch your favourite shows from any browser, whether you're using your smartphone (which ties in nicely with its Android beta), tablet or PC.
The BBC is making an iPlayer app just for kids
When the BBC announced a new children's service called iPlay, many people were quick to call it an "iPlayer for kids." That description isn't entirely inaccurate, as it will include some of the broadcaster's child-friendly programming -- but that's on top of educational and creativity tools, as well as content produced by other "trusted organisations." It's an important point of differentiation, because the BBC announced today that it's also working on a dedicated children's version of iPlayer. Details are scarce, but the BBC says it'll be a standalone app that makes it easier for little ones to find their favourite CBBC and CBeebies shows, as well as discover news ones "in a safe environment designed just for them." The move is hardly surprising -- Netflix and YouTube have already released child-friendly versions of their video streaming services, and Sky plans to do the same early next year. iPlayer is incredibly popular in the UK, and essentially free too -- whenever the little ones are starting to get restless, this could be an indispensable app for parents.
ITV's Hub is its answer to BBC iPlayer and All 4
As more and more households embrace online TV services, broadcasters are changing the way they deliver content in order to better fit around their audience. Last year, the BBC updated the iPlayer website and apps, followed by Channel 4's rebranded All 4 portal in March. Now it's ITV's turn. The company announced today that it will scrap the existing ITV Player and ITV.com website and roll them into a new entity: The ITV Hub. It will house all of the channels you'd expect (ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, CITV and ITVBe) and you'll be able to either watch live or stream on-demand via a smartphone, tablet, PC, connected TV or set-top box.
BBC wants you to test iPlayer app features before they launch
While the BBC adds new features to its iPlayer apps at a decent clip, it can't always ensure they get enough real-world testing before they're shipped. Maybe that's why the Beeb has today launched a new Mobile iPlayer beta programme that aims to gather feedback on its latest additions. Right now, the programme is Android-only and supports devices running Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) and up, but the broadcaster says it will also bring beta testing to iOS and Kindle Fire devices in the future.
BBC will launch a streaming service in the US next year
Fans of the BBC who live in the States are about to get another way to watch the network's shows. The BBC plans to launch an online subscription service in the US next year, providing eager viewers across the pond access to stream on demand. While the network didn't get specific on the shows that'll be included with the OTT service, director general Tony Hall did say that the slate would include content US viewers "wouldn't otherwise get." There's already a BBC America channel that's part of pay TV packages in the US, and some shows stream on Netflix and Hulu. BBC's iPlayer was available in 16 countries outside of the UK, but it never made it to the US before it was shuttered in May. At this point, it's unclear if the service will provide access only to BBC America or if it'll include the larger library of BBC shows and movies. As is the case with new streaming services, the monthly cost and content library are sure to figure into effort's success. [Image credit: Matthew Horwood/GC Images]
BBC iPlayer offers picture-in-picture TV viewing on your iPad
Split-screen multitasking on the iPad is one of the standout additions in iOS 9, but not everyone has an iPad Air 2 (or soon, iPad Pro) to take advantage of it. Instead, the feature that most iPad users are likely to benefit from is picture-in-picture -- the ability to slide a video into the corner while you do something else on your tablet. BBC iPlayer is one of the first apps to adopt the new functionality, meaning you can watch Bake Off while reading some recipes, or keep BBC News in the background while you scan the headlines in Flipboard. The feature works on the iPad mini 2 and 3, iPad Air and Air 2, and the upcoming iPad Pro -- just press the home button during video playback to activate it.
BBC to create 'personalised radio' that switches between stations
The BBC offers a mixture of local and national radio stations aimed at different types of listeners. Want the latest chart-toppers? Radio 1 has your back. Prefer something classical? Just switch to Radio 3 instead. The problem is that many Brits have eclectic music tastes spanning more than one station. To stop listeners from tuning out, the broadcaster is planning a personalised radio service -- a single stream that intelligently switches between live and on-demand broadcasting based on your preferences. So let's say you like the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, which runs from 6 to 9am. But you also love Lauren Laverne's show on Radio 6 Music, which kicks off at 10am -- the service would, in theory, change stations automatically, and maybe throw in a podcast for the hour in between.
