BBC releases a ‘social’ version of Iplayer

THE VENERABLE BBC has released a beta version of its Iplayer, complete with a new look and more functionality including the ability to recommend content to friends on Facebook and Twitter.

The UK broadcaster has partnered with the social networks, and in time a partnership with Microsoft will allow Windows Messenger users to log in to the IM service through Iplayer, invite other people to watch programmes at the same time and chat live.

Live TV has become much more a focus with this version, making it much easier to browse live TV channels than previously.

There is also a cleaner user experience, with 'sliding drawers' where your most popular programmes and friends sections open and close by sliding. There is also a categories area where you can browse by genre and sub-genre.

TV and radio are now separate from each other and there is a pop-up radio console available to listen to while you browse.

There is also an 'Iplayer Desktop', where you can perform a series of downloads as well as pre-book to download programmes that haven't been aired yet.

If you would like to try out the new features, the Iplayer beta version is already available through a promotional banner on the current Iplayer screen. The formal launch is planned for early June or July if the beta works, after which time this version will be the working site.

It was a parting gift from Anthony Rose, head of digital media technology at the BBC for two and a half years and previously chief technology officer at Kazaa Alnet.

With the launch of the beta he has now seen four versions of the Iplayer and leaves to take the role of chief technology officer at Project Canvas, a proposed partnership between the BBC, ITV, C4, Five, BT and Talk Talk to build an open Internet-connected TV platform.

Rose said at the launch in London, "We spent quite a while on designing [the new Iplayer, rather] than building it. We had a challenge, a product that was growing from early adoption to mainstream."

He said that the BBC wanted to add features like social notworking and friends, but needed to keep the interface simple and adapt to early adopters, repeat users and new users.

"We went through several design iterations and eventually came up with the concept of an application more than a website. It's a homepage that starts in a very simple way for a mainstream audience, and then you can customise it to yourself."

He added, "Everything we've done revolves around three concepts - personal, simple and connected."

The BBC also announced that later on this year audiences will be able to link from Iplayer to other services like ITV Player, 4oD, Demand Five and SeeSaw due to metadata partnership deals. Simply put, this will allow viewers looking for other programmes not available on Iplayer to be directed to their websites. µ