The new BBC iPlayer just had its official unveiling in London. Branded as “Simple, Personal, Connected” it adds a ton of new features, from Facebook and Twitter integration to smart recommendations and a feed of shows that’re popular amongst your friends. Most adventurous of all though, the BBC’s adding live chat alongside TV on the web.
Unveiling the new BBC iPlayer, which is available in Beta today, the BBC’s on-demand chief Anthony Rose, said that “for some, will transform the way they watch TV.”
The BBC has added a new login system, dubbed BBC ID, which although optional will let you mark your favourite shows, recommend them to friends through Facebook and Twitter, and haul in recommendations from your friends too. The Beeb says, if you’re one of the one million-plus users already logging in to leave comments on the BBC website, you already have a BBC ID.
iPlayer will also attempt to recommend TV and Radio depending on your viewing and listening habits. It has the potential to make on-demand TV more complex, but Rose said great care had been taken to keep things simple.
“We spent more time designing than building the new BBC iPlayer. We wanted to add social and friends, but in order to do that we had to resist the temptation to put Facebook, Twitter and recommend buttons on it. We came up with something that’s almost more an application. You start off with a webpage, and slowly customise it to yourself.
“When you first go to the site, you’ll see two panels: Featured and Most Popular. After you’ve played a few programmes, you’ll see recommendations. The site will remember all your modules. It’s simple to use.”
Live chat is being rolled out too, with plenty of neat features rolled in. To begin with, you’ll be offered a Microsoft Live Messenger window alongside programmes and live broadcasts. You’ll be able to see which of your friends are watching, and the point within the programme they’ve reached. A click of a button will sync your iPlayer windows too, so you can chat while seeing the same thing on screen.
It’s an audatious move, and will be music to the ears of those tweeting to friends while watching TV. Anthony Rose said that adding live chat had been “the holy grail for us,” while Erik Huggers added that the platform is designed to be completely open, with Microsoft Live Messenger the first supported IM service, with others due to follow.
“This is a toe in the water,” he explained, “but it is open to other platforms, just as we began iPlayer with the PC and then opened it up to other platforms. As soon as we find out this is popular, we will open it up to other chat services, whether that’s Facebook, Skype etc. We’ve had exploratory discussions with them already.”
The new BBC iPlayer is live in Beta today, and will become the default version by the beginning of July. Live chat will be added in the next two weeks.
Out now | £free | BBC iPlayer
