Applications
BBC Sport launches mobile app in the UK
MUMBAI: BBC Sport has launched a mobile application for iPhone and iPod touch devices in the UK. The free app brings together BBC Sport’s coverage to deliver news, live scores, stats, commentary and analysis on-the-go.
Arriving in time for a start to the 2013 sporting calendar, the app’s customisable menu allows users to keep up with sporting events – from breaking football transfer news and gossip, to live text coverage of the Premier League, Rugby Union Six Nations championship and the upcoming F1 season.
A new mobile football live scores section has been introduced allowing you to follow the action, whether you’re at the match or out and about. It provides a league-by-league overview of the latest scores and goal scorers at a glance, with dedicated match pages for more in-depth information, bringing together starting line-ups, match stats, live text commentary and the post-game report.
In addition, a new fixtures and results section has been developed to help users keep on top of all the UK and international football competitions, by simply selecting any day in the season from the app’s calendar. There’s also access to live streams from Radio 5 Live and Radio 5 Live Sports Extra for even more great sports coverage.
Other features, including live and on-demand video highlights, and an application for Android devices will be introduced soon.
The rapid growth of smartphones over the last few years has made mobile a particularly important platform for BBC Sport audiences. Mobile devices account for a third of BBC Sport’s total traffic, rising to over 40% at weekends and peaking at 45% on Saturday afternoons, as the nation accesses the final scores from wherever they may be.
BBC Future Media executive product manager for sport Lucie McLean said, “Through the huge success of the Olympics we know that audiences love to access sport services through both mobile browser and apps. The new BBC Sport app builds on the success of London 2012 to give users an even easier way to get the content they love, whether it’s checking out how their team got on, following live text updates on the day’s sporting action or catching up with the latest news.”
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
