New BBC Sounds app launched

BBC Sounds, a new smartphone that brings together the broadcaster's radio, music and podcast content in a dedicated space for the first time, has launched this week.

The app is available on both iOS and Android, and includes existing features such as the content from the BBC iPlayer Radio app, as well as new additions like on-demand music playlists to suit different moods.

Dan Taylor-Watt, head of BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, explained in a blog post announcing the launch that each app user's experience would be completely unique, as it can provide "one-tap access to the latest episodes of your favourite BBC podcasts and radio shows", with some 80,000 hours of audio available instantly.

He added that the launch of BBC Sounds is one of the ways the broadcaster is trying to "reinvent the BBC for a new generation".

The next step for BBC Sounds will be the addition of a download function, while a feature that allows users to continue listening where they left off last time is already embedded.