Applications
BBC launches iPlayer app for iPad in Europe
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide, which is UK pubcaster the BBC‘s commercial arm, is offering audiences across Europe the first-ever opportunity to delve into a digital mix of classic and contemporary British TV programming with the launch of the new global BBC iPlayer App, available exclusively on iPad.
This new video on demand subscription service, launching first in Western Europe, will deliver the programming upon which the BBC‘s history and heritage is built, to viewers in 11 markets. For €6.99 a month (or €49.99 for an annual subscription), the app will initially be available in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.
Subscribers will be able to access a rich selection of captivating English language programmes across eight genres: News Specials and Documentaries; Entertainment; Drama; Comedy; Science and Nature; Family and Kids; Music and Culture and Lifestyle.
The app brings together classic comedies such as ‘Fawlty Towers‘ and ‘Only Fools and Horses‘, drama series ‘Sherlock‘, ‘Luther‘ and ‘Pride and Prejudice‘, recent episodes of the soap ‘EastEnders‘, motoring show ‘Top Gear‘, the ‘Doctor Who‘ archive and the adorable children‘s show ‘Charlie and Lola‘. Hours of new programming will be added to the service every week, along with imaginatively themed collections curated from the BBC‘s extensive archive, including David Attenborough and the story of the Royal Family.
Designed to be intuitive and easy-to-use, a key feature of the app allows subscribers both to stream and to download shows for offline viewing for when they can‘t access Wi-Fi connectivity. The stylish and simple interface enables users to build a personal library of shows.
BBC Worldwide CEO John Smith said, “I‘m proud that we‘re one of the first international broadcasters to give access to our shows in a perfectly packaged app. This launch is an important route to market in our strategy of pursuing multiple platforms for our programmes and brands, taking British programmes to new digital audiences around the world. Today marks a significant next step on a digital journey that has already seen 12m BBC Worldwide apps downloaded across brands as diverse as Lonely Planet and Good Food.”
BBC Worldwide president of Worldwide Networks and Global iPlayer Jana Bennett said, “Based on the soaring success of the UK‘s pioneering BBC iPlayer service, the app combines technical innovation with editorial creativity to transport users to the heart of the BBC and British television and on a journey of discovery, wherever and whenever they want. We have an exciting vision for what this service could become and will develop it based on feedback from within the markets.”
The global BBC iPlayer App is now available to download for free from the App Store in the launch markets on iPad. The global version of the BBC iPlayer App launched marks the start of a pilot phase for the service.
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.
