Earlier this yr we launched a brand new model of the BBC Information cell web site, making it simpler and faster to make use of. This week we have begun the method of directing all cell customers robotically to that web site. Because of this anybody who visits BBC Information on their cell will probably be taken to the model of the location greatest suited to the kind of cellphone they’re utilizing.
A lot of you already go to the cell web site repeatedly however, up till now, folks searching for BBC Information on their cellphone will typically have discovered themselves on the desktop model of the location, which is designed for desktop PCs, macs and laptops – all with a lot larger screens. If you’re utilizing this desktop model in your cellphone it may be awkward to pinch, zoom and scan the tales on a small cell display screen.
This picture reveals how the cell web site shows on a smartphone – in contrast with the desktop model:
To deal with this, we have been working over the previous six months to enhance and add to the cell web site, taking up board your suggestions about the way you’d wish to see it develop.
We have lately added video clips for iPhone and Android customers, and made it simpler to navigate the location. (We hope to increase this video service to different kinds of cell sooner or later.) We have additionally added simpler methods of attending to native information and climate providers, one thing lots of you requested for. You possibly can learn extra about these adjustments right here.
So, we’re assured that the cell web site now has the big selection of content material you’re searching for and that it affords a greater expertise on a small display screen than the desktop web site, which is why we’re taking the step of robotically redirecting cell customers there.
After all, you could be completely happy to maintain visiting the desktop web site in your cell and if you wish to proceed doing so simply scroll to the underside of the web page and faucet on the hyperlink for the desktop web site. Your alternative will probably be remembered for the subsequent time you go to.
Equally, in the event you use a cell and discover that you just’re not redirected to the brand new web site, you may scroll to the underside of the web page and choose the cell web site.
That is the newest stage within the ongoing work by our Information product crew on responsive design – a manner of presenting our content material to you in essentially the most appropriate manner by detecting the kind of machine you’re utilizing and displaying the format greatest tailored for it. We’re doing comparable work to optimise the location for pill customers too.
The variety of folks coming to BBC Information on cell continues to develop. In a mean week, 13.3m customers worldwide use their cell or pill to go to the BBC Information web site and apps – round one-third of whole customers to BBC Information On-line.
If you’re considered one of them, our goal is to give you the complete vary and depth of BBC Information content material, no matter machine you’re utilizing, while additionally making greatest use of the display screen dimension.
We hope you may like utilizing the brand new cell web site, and if you would like to depart feedback and suggestions about it, or have questions, please put up them beneath. Or you may tweet your views utilizing the hashtags #bbcnews #responsive
Replace: Thanks in your feedback. Listed here are some solutions to the questions posted beneath:
John Walsh – Kindle: As a pill machine, albeit with a smaller display screen than some makes, Kindles presently default to the desktop web site. Customers of any machine together with Kindles are definitely free to make use of the cell model if they like by clicking the hyperlink on the backside of the display screen. Our goal is to additional enhance the expertise for progressively bigger display screen sizes over time.
Jesse Moore – HTC: We all know there are some units which might be incorrectly labeled by our programs, typically attributable to the truth that some units have completely different identifiers depending on the cell community they’re on. In any case we will definitely be doing every thing we are able to to appropriate errors and make sure the redirection behaves because it ought to. Within the meantime, please use the “Cellular Website” hyperlink on the foot of the web page must you want to use the cell web site – the choice will probably be remembered so long as cookies are usually not cleared. At the moment the redirect solely applies to the BBC Homepage and the Information web site.
Cogito Ergo Sum – Home windows cellphone: This variation applies to the browser expertise, which is already designed to work for Home windows Cellphone though at current we’re unable to supply video for these units.
Costmeabob – We take accessibility for our providers severely so, for instance, our browser and functions are designed to work with Voiceover on iOS.
Tim Stey – If you do nonetheless desire the desktop model you may choose the hyperlink on the backside of the web page and also you’ll be taken to it. Your alternative will probably be remembered subsequent time you go to the location. We’re engaged on enhancing the cell web site nonetheless additional to incorporate extra content material the place the know-how permits it – however with navigation extra suited to a smaller display screen dimension.
Josh Tumath – This weblog put up is likely to be of curiosity, about our total method to responsive design printed in March by Chris Russell, head of product for BBC Information On-line.
Steve Herrmann is editor of the BBC Information web site.
