BBC Announces iPlayer Radio App for Android
BBC's app uses HLS protocol to stream audio.
The BBC has announced the launch of iPlayer Radio for Android. The new application, which will allow Android users to catch up on BBC radio shows on the go, is already available in the Google Play Store for download. The announcement comes almost six months after the BBC iPlayer Radio application for iOS was released.
Despite arriving six months later, Android users will be pleased to know they'll have all the same features as iPhone users. This includes the ability to set your alarm to wake you up with your favourite DJ or show, listen live to BBC Radio stations, on-demand catch-up content (including videos, podcasts, and more), program reminders, and the ability to discover and share tracks with friends.
The app uses the HLS (or HTTP Live Streaming) protocol thanks to Android's lack of Adobe Flash support. While the BBC notes that this should work particularly well for devices running Ice Cream Sandwich or later, Galaxy S3 users could run into problems. The BBC says that there is currently an issue with some Samsung firmware which means S3 owners might not be able to stream HLS audio right now. The applies specifically to Galaxy S3 devices on EE, Vodafone, on Three and should be fixed in the next month. If you don't buy through these carriers, you shouldn't have any issues.
Click here to get the app from the Google Play Store.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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synthaside A detail missed in this article is that this app is for Android 4.0 and greater so unless you have at least an ICS device ... dont bother ;-)Reply