The BBC has launched its iPlayer app for iPad, which allows users to view and listen to programmes from the iPlayer archive, as well as watch live TV and listen to radio programmes as they are broadcast.
The app, first announced at Mobile World Congress last year, was delayed on the advice of the BBC Trust. In the meantime, savvy iPad owners created a Home screen short cut to the iPlayer on the BBC website, which allowed them to view a version of the iPlayer re-purposed for the iPad.
The iPlayer app has an interface designed for the iPad’s touch screen and includes some of the social features which were introduced to iPlayer last year. For example, in addition to tabs for Featured and Most Popular programmes, there’s a For You link which displays programmes based on your previous viewing habits.
There are separate sections for TV and Radio, and you can specify programmes as Favourites. New episodes of your favourite programmes appear in the Favourites screen as they are added to iPlayer.
The iPlayer app has an interface designed for the iPad's touch screen.
Pressing the Channels button at the top of the screen allows you to browse programmes by channel and also to watch live TV. Equally, browsing by station in the radio section allows you to listen to live radio.
Tapping the ‘Search & Categories’ button on the top right of the screen displays and iPad drop-down menu of categories with the familiar search bar at the top.
Tapping on any programme displays its key frame image centre screen, with options to play it now, get more information, or add it to your favourite. Along the bottom of the screen is a row of ‘Related Programmes.’
Programmes fill the full-width of the iPad’s screen when they play, and there are two quality options, the default being high quality. Tapping the HQ button next to the iPlayer’s transport controls bar switches to a lower bit rate version of the programme, although in our brief tests the difference in picture quality was barely discernible. There’s also an option to display subtitles.
The iPlayer app is available now from the App Store.
