The Corporation's Trust gives the green light despite reservations from rival media outlets
The BBC has been given permission to release a series of smartphone apps after the BBC Trust decided a Public Value Test would not be necessary.
The apps - for BBC News, BBC Sport and the iPlayer catch-up TV service - were announced back in February.
However, commercial rivals criticised the plans, saying the free apps would hamper their own ability to explore new (paid) business models on mobile for their own apps.
The BBC then agreed to delay the launch until its guardian the BBC Trust had conducted a review of the plans.
But today the Trust announced the apps do not require further scrutiny through a Public Value Test (PVT), having assessed the plans in four areas: the potential impact of the proposed apps, the financial implications, whether apps would involve the BBC in a new area of untested activity, and the duration of the proposed apps.
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BBC Trustee Diane Coyle, said: "The Apps market is rapidly taking off as more people choose to get their news, sport and other online content while they're on the move.
"The Trust has a duty to represent the interests of licence fee payers, who will increasingly expect to access BBC content in this way, but also to listen to concerns raised by industry. In this case we have concluded that while the Apps market is developing quickly and we will monitor the launch of BBC Apps, a PVT is not required."






















