BBC iPlayer mobile app just got the one big feature it's been missing

[sincity]

BBC iPlayer for mobile devices is getting a significant update, with the Beeb announcing it will soon begin rolling out live programme restart options to its iOS and Android apps.

The ability to roll live shows back to their beginning while streaming is already possible on the BBC's connected TV apps, but it's a first for the company on mobile, letting users restart a live show that's already begun with a single tap.

Live restarts come at a particularly busy time for the iPlayer apps – Glastonbury, Wimbledon, the Euro football championship and Olympics drew in an average of 16 million unique viewers a week across June, July and August for the platform.

Visually seeking

While the mobile apps are getting the headline features, some other updates rolling out across iPlayer are worth noting too.

With half-decent broadband now standard up and down the country, and the majority of TVs now supporting at least 720p playback, the 720p HD resolution will now be the default setting for playback on computers and connected TVs. That's provided that your connected TV supports adaptive bitrate streams, which most do.

Also on the way is a "visual seeking" scrubber for a snapshot look at moments during a show while rewinding or fast forwarding, offering thumbnail views of the show in the progress bar, as is the norm in Netflix.

• Dont forget – the iPlayer licence fee loophole is now closed