iPlayer, BBC Sport move closer to completion

After a long wait, the BBC News app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch has finally been made available in the UK. The app has until now been blocked in its home country, as it was under consideration by the BBC Trust, which looked to determine whether or not a Public Value Test would be needed to allow mobile apps. No tests will be conducted, the Trust says.

The decision also clears the way for two more apps, BBC Sport and iPlayer. Those will only be released later this year. Titles for non-Apple platforms are said to be in development as well, including Android-based devices.

The BBC News app is dedicated mostly to text stories, split up into categories as on the BBC website. Video clips are embedded into stories however, and people can alternately watch the BBC News Channel live. Some options include personalizing which news is received, and linking content via Twitter or Facebook.

by MacNN Staff