Got a tip for us?Let us know

a. Send us an email
b. Anonymous form

BBC iPlayer for iOS Adds Handoff Support and Spotlight Search

Friday February 5, 2016 3:42 AM PST by Tim Hardwick

BBC's iPlayer app has been updated for iOS users in the UK today, bringing added support for Spotlight search and Apple's Handoff feature.

Users of the app can now directly search for TV programs from their home screen by activating Spotlight search with a swipe down gesture, while the addition of Handoff support enables viewers to pick up where they left off when switching to another iOS device.

The update also patches a bug that led to the app crashing on launch for some users, and adds a full catalog of iPlayer programs to the channel page via the A-Z option.

The UK broadcaster recently brought its iPlayer app to Apple TV after initially stating it had no plans to make the service available on the platform.

BBC iPlayer is a free download for users in the UK. [Direct Link]

Tags: BBC iPlayer, Handoff, Spotlight

Top Rated Comments

SimonTheSoundMa

126 months ago

Spotlight index, one step closer to Siri support on the Apple TV!

Seems the BBC have made a database compatible for Apple.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

reece1605

126 months ago

Spotlight searching for a bbc program isn't working for me after this update. Anyone else able to get it to work?

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Donfor39

126 months ago

Well done bbc, just tried handoff from iphpone6-macbook and macbook-iphone6

Currently viewing click for a techie feed, works excellent.

SkyQ needs to be launched very soon;)

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

mazz0

126 months ago

Nope, search not working for me either, even after closing the app through app switcher.

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Defender2010

126 months ago

Wasn't working for me until I closed the app in multitasking and reopened.
Does this update work with Apple TV universal search? Haven't had a chance to try it yet

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Here's When iOS 26 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: Out Now!]

Monday September 15, 2025 12:00 am PDT by Eric Slivka

Update 10:06 a.m.: iOS 26 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Today's the day! Apple is about to release iOS 26, which will deliver the biggest redesign since iOS 7 and bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at last week's iPhone event that...

• 95 comments

Apple Says Installing iOS 26 Might Impact Battery Life

Monday September 15, 2025 10:56 am PDT by Juli Clover

In the iOS 26 release notes, Apple is warning iPhone users that installing the new software might have a temporary impact on battery life, which is normal. A new support document explains that major iOS updates require background setup like indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps. Further, Apple says that new features could require more resources,...

• 120 comments

Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch These 10 Products in 'Coming Months'

Sunday September 14, 2025 8:45 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple's annual September event is now in the rearview mirror, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 set to launch this Friday, September 19. As always, there is more to come. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple plans to release many products in the...

• 83 comments

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 Get iOS 26 Features With New Firmware Update

Monday September 15, 2025 10:50 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today released updated firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4, introducing support for the new AirPods features that are included in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The firmware has a build number of 8A356, and it replaces the current 7E93 firmware. With Apple's new software updates, the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 support better audio quality for phone calls and...

• 67 comments

iPhone 17 Models Launch on September 19 With These New Features

Friday September 12, 2025 7:58 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 lineup and ultra-thin iPhone Air in stores on Friday, September 19, and the company has already shown off the new devices at its fall event, which ran with the the tagline "Awe dropping." The iPhone 17 series brings a host of new features and enhancements. Here's a rundown of the biggest upgrades and changes: iPhone 17 Display Changes The iPhone...

• 17 comments

iOS 26 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 15, 2025 5:45 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Following three months of beta testing, iOS 26 was released today, September 15. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer, and it is available to install via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features included in iOS 26. Even more new features and changes are outlined in Apple's release notes for the update. Some of ...

• 145 comments

iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Boxes Revealed

Sunday September 14, 2025 1:36 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

T-Mobile President Jon Freier today shared real-world photos of Apple's boxes for the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 models, which launch on Friday. Image Credit: Jon Freier Apple has typically included iPhone box renders in its product environmental reports, but it did not do so for the latest models. However, Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program page does offer some images of the boxes, ...

• 74 comments