Tag: BBC
BBC licence fee to rise 6.7% after 2 year freeze
The BBC licence fee will rise by £10.50 to £169.50 a year from next April, culture secretary Lucy Frazer has confirmed, after a two-year freeze. The household payment, which funds much of the corporation’s operations, had been frozen at £159 and had been expected to rise in line with inflation next year. However, that increase, which,…
Tech Digest daily roundup: EU votes for replaceable smartphone batteries
The European Parliament has voted yes to replaceable battery legislation, putting Apple on a path to a second redesign just over a year after USB-C charging ports were mandated in the bloc. Unlike the USB-C redesign, which has a 2024 deadline, the "portable battery" rule will come into play in 2027 at the earliest. That rule, by…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Apple announces $3499 Vision Pro headset
Image: Apple Apple on Monday unveiled a headset called the Vision Pro in the tech giant’s most significant product launch since the iPhone, promising that it will be “a new kind of computer”. The device, which resembles a pair of ski goggles, projects apps such as web browsers, video calls and…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Oppo Find X6 and X6 Pro launch with cameras galore
We were left impressed with Oppo's Find X5 Pro last year, so naturally, we have high expectations for its successor. As announced earlier, the upcoming Oppo Find X6 Pro meets the basic requirements you'd expect from a 2023 flagship: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, Sony's IMX989 "1-inch" sensor for the main camera, a bright 6.82-inch 3,168 x…
BBC needs to reach those on lower incomes, Ofcom finds
The BBC needs to do more to reach and resonate with viewers and listeners on lower incomes, Ofcom has found in its annual report on the BBC’s performance. Ofcom's report finds that people in lower socio-economic groups – who account for almost a quarter of the UK population – are less engaged and less satisfied with…
Tech Digest daily round up: Healthcare apps not fit for NHS
A firm which reviews healthcare apps for several NHS trusts says 80% of them do not meet its standards. Failings include poor information, lack of security updates and insufficient awareness of regulatory requirements, according to Orcha chief executive Liz Ashall-Payne. Orcha's reviews help determine whether an app should be recommended to patients by NHS staff.…
Green Planet AR app makes hologram of Sir David Attenborough
Inspired by the upcoming BBC series The Green Planet comes a new augmented reality app featuring Sir David Attenborough, which will showcase everything 5G has to offer. BBC Studios, 5G mobile network operator EE, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Talesmith and Dimension Studios have announced The Green Planet 5G AR Consortium, led by the immersive content studio…
BBC promises iPlayer revamp to compete with Netflix
BBC bosses have promised a total transformation of the iPlayer to compete with streaming giants. Director-general Lord Tony Hall believes the corporation can challenge the existing dominance of services like Netflix and Amazon. Quality content and curation will be at the heart of BBC plans for online platform, which will undergo the biggest revamp since…
BBC to launch Alexa rival
The BBC is developing its own Alexa-style digital voice assistant for next year which it claims is capable of understanding regional accents. ‘Beeb’ is being considered as the wake-word used to get the attention of the voice-activated technology, which is designed to work on existing devices such as smart-speakers, mobiles and TVs instead of launching…
Ofcom approves BBC plan to extend iPlayer catch-up option
Ofcom has approved the BBC’s plan to extend the iPlayer catch-up window to 12 months, subject to “certain conditions and guidance”. The broadcaster intends to change iPlayer from a 30-day catch-up service to make programmes available for 12 months as standard, with some available for longer.All children’s programming will be available for five years under the…
