BBC announces mobile apps

The first app to launch will be BBC News - it'll be available for iPhone and iPod Touch from April, with versions for BlackBerry and Android devices to follow later this year.

Next up will be BBC Sport, which is to be made available for iPhone and iPod touch in time for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

For the World Cup, fans will be able to access live match video, whenever it's being broadcast on TV by the BBC and on-demand clips of every goal scored in the tournament.

Users will also be able to access content for 5 Live radio, authored live text commentaries from BBC presenters and blogs.

The BBC says that latter in the year it will adding Formula 1 and coverage of other sports to which it owns the rights.

The first app to launch will be BBC News - it'll be available for iPhone and iPod Touch from April, with versions for BlackBerry and Android devices to follow later this year.

Next up will be BBC Sport, which is to be made available for iPhone and iPod touch in time for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

For the World Cup, fans will be able to access live match video, whenever it's being broadcast on TV by the BBC and on-demand clips of every goal scored in the tournament.

Users will also be able to access content for 5 Live radio, authored live text commentaries from BBC presenters and blogs.

The BBC says that latter in the year it will adding Formula 1 and coverage of other sports to which it owns the rights.

Again, apps will follow later in the year for RIM and Android devices.

Finally, the BBC has also confirmed it is also considering BBC iPlayer applications for release later in the year.

All of the Corporation's mobile apps will be available free of charge, as per its public service remit.

BBC Director of Future Media & Technology Erik Huggers said: “It’s been 12 years since the launch of BBC Online, but as media converges and technology accelerates, licence fee payers are increasingly using sophisticated handheld devices to access information.

"They tell us that they want to access the digital services that they have paid for at a time and place that suits them. Today’s announcement means that we are catching up with our audiences, and the same content that we broadcast on television and make available online can now be better enjoyed on the move. We are putting technology to work to create greater public value.”

Tags: apps, mobile, announcement, bbc