The BBC has unveiled a slate of new features to the iPlayer including Live Restart and the ability to resume watching a show on a separate device.
From Wednesday Live Restart will launch on connected TVs, allowing viewers to watch from the start of a programme, without having to wait for the show to complete first time around. A new ‘Watch from Start’ button will indicate the feature’s availability.
At launch the feature will be available on YouView, Roku, NOW TV, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One and a range of connected TV sets. Later it will be added to mobile and tablet devices.
The ability to pause and resume across devices requires the user to sign in (through the BBC iD, Facebook or Google). It’s then possible to move between mobile and desktop, etc.
Another new feature My Programmes compiles shows that have been stared, but not finished and next episodes in a series. Recomendations will also be stored here.
Dan Taylor-Watt, Head of BBC iPlayer, says: “This raft of new features promises to give users even greater control over their iPlayer experience, ensuring they’re never late for a BBC TV broadcast again and providing easy access to the programmes they’re enjoying on BBC iPlayer whether at home or on the move”.
The last year for the BBC iPlayer has seen a record 2.6bn TV requests across 1,700 devices and platforms. The catch-up window has also been extended from seven to 30 days.