Antiques Roadshow goes modern with new live smartphone app

Viewers of Sunday evening favourite Antiques Roadshow will be able to play along live via their smartphones.

The application will let users play a live multiple-choice valuation game and will give them access to exclusive additional information on the items featured on the show. The app will be available on a range of Android and Apple devices.

The news comes off the back of the show’s red button play-along game which the BBC says has been a success.

Cutting edge technology uses inaudible signals which are embedded in the soundtrack of the programme and are picked up by the microphone of a smart phone or tablet. These are used to identify the episode and cue the sequence of questions and answers. This means the service can be used with the actual broadcast, BBC iPlayer catch-up service and even home recordings, without the need to enter any programme information.

“The new app is great fun, I love guessing the values of objects, I only wish I got it right more often! Now that you can play on smart phones and tablets, the world of antiques is certainly not stuck in the past.” – Presenter Fiona Bruce

The app is available to download today and can be used from episode broadcast 6 January onwards.