BBC has designs on MP3 player radio

 

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By Alun Williams

Posted on 14 Aug 2006 at 17:00

The BBC is eyeing the iPod and other MP3 players, it seems. The corporation is planning a clip-on digital radio for portable players, it has revealed.

Many such players, of course, already have built-in radios, with even the iPod - a long term non-believer in FM functionality - recently getting a Radio Remote. Nonetheless, any device from the home of British radio itself will garner a lot of attention, with the plug-in gadget apparently not being limited to BBC digital radio stations.

Details, however, are currently vaguer than a Vista release date with the BBC giving little away: plans are 'at an early stage', there are 'no firm details' for its functionality or how much it will cost. And, in case the hazy shimmering was beginning to resolve into any form whatsoever, there is 'no timetable' for when the device might appear.

However, a spokesperson would say: 'We have a duty to make sure digital radio is relevant and clearly portable MP3 players are a massive area of growth.'

The broadcaster is currently carrying out feasibility studies to see how easy it would be to build and market such a gadget. It dismissed as 'pure speculation' the notion that Apple was on-board as a potential partner in the project.

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