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BBC Sport app getting jiggy widgets on iOS and Android

The BBC has made it easier to sneak a look at sports headlines by bringing widget support to its iOS and Android BBC Sport apps. 

iPhone owners can now swipe open the Notification Centre and cast an eye on headlines while the Android crowd can pin a series of 4×1 and 2×2 widgets on their homescreens. 

You’ll be able to set up a generic ‘top stories’ widget as well as widgets for specific sports – Football, Formula 1, Cricket, Rugby Union and League, Tennis and Golf – which give you at a glance updates as well as shortcuts to stories on the BBC Sport site. 

BBC Sport iOS and Android apps get Chromecast supportBBC business analyst Ryan Thomas Hewitt says that for the updated iOS app, such customisation was off the cards – third party widgets have only been a feature of iOS since iOS 8 and the BBC wants to see how popular this new feature is before considering improvements. 

Hewitt said: “On iOS we have decided to release it without customisation. This will enable us to gauge feedback on future enhancements, but also see how much appetite there is for widgets on this platform.
“Based on audience feedback and usage we would look to evolve the widget proposition on both platforms.” 

Windows Phone owners have been able to enjoy a similar functionality since December, when the BBC enabled support for sports headlines on live tiles. 

You can download or upgrade to the new-look widget-happy BBC Sport apps now by heading over to the iTunes App Store or Google Play or checking for updates on your device. 

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