iPad iPlayer app gets retina display graphics

iPlayer for the new iPad has added retina display graphics to go along with your favourite BBC TV shows.

The new update for the iPlayer iPad app adds support for the tablet's eye-popping high-resolution retina display. That means the menus and graphics are crisp and clear, making the most of the high-res screen. The actual video quality remains the same though, so you can't quite count the individual hairs on Phil Mitchell's gleaming pate just yet.

Version 1.3.2 of the app also adds bug fixes and "general tidying" for smoother performance, as well as more voice command options using the tablet's Voice Over feature.

iPlayer is one of the best services for staying up-to-date with the latest developments, especially in the mobile world. Not only is it available across most major platforms from phones to games consoles, but Auntie Beeb pops up with features like iPlayer Live Restart. Good to know the old licence fee is well spent.

iPlayer is currently chock-full of Olympic highlights to catch up on and remind yourself that the last two weeks of everybody being in a good mood wasn't just a dream. That includes the full videos of the sublime opening ceremony and the tack-tastic mime-fest that was the closing ceremony, as well as some actual sport.

Then again, it's also got a new series of Mrs Brown's Boys on there -- again, good to know the old licence fee is well spent...

The iPlayer iPad app is one of the most popular ways to watch iPlayer, seeing explosive growth in viewing figures. Last year tablet viewing went up 600 per cent as viewers balanced their iPads on their knees in bed and elsewhere. 

Do you use iPlayer most on your TV, phone, or tablet? What shows are essential viewing on iPlayer? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.