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Comment by Joe8Bit | Hacker News Reader

As far as I've understood it, the BBC isn't ignoring Android, the rollout of new features is simply delayed for a platform that's logistically significantly more complex to roll out multi-device supporting apps too.

Also, I'm not too sure about it being against the BBC's 'contract', could you let me know what you're referring to? As far as I'm aware the BBC has no legislative or regulatory duty to favour open platforms.

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The content the BBC produces should be open and accessible to the British tax-paying public. Plain and simple.

Preferring to provide that content via locked down, proprietary solutions with DRM and god knows what over simple and open solutions would definitely go against that contract.

I agree with you, it SHOULD be open, but there's nothing in the BBC's CURRENT public service charter that would MANDATE it to give preference to open-source eco-systems/platforms. As I said, I happen to agree with you: it SHOULD read that. But it currently doesn't, as far as I'm aware.

Going back to the original point, it's not been suggested this is a POLICY decision on the part of the BBC to prefer one platform over the other (be it open or closed) but rather a pragmatic one based on the technical/test complexity of developing for the Android platform (and supporting MANY devices on it). I can personally attest to this last fact, as anyone can who has built cross-platform native mobile apps.

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