EXCLUSIVE: Mobile Foxtel now available on iPad!

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 30 January 2012 17:15

Your IT - Entertainment

Ever since Apple launched its original iPad in 2010, Telstra customers subscribing to Mobile Foxtel on the iPhone and other smartphones have wondered when it would officially arrive on the iPad, and now, in 2012, it finally has.

With the iPad such an amazing content consumption device, even though it has evolved into an equally amazing content creation tool, I've often wondered when Telstra would deliver Mobile Foxtel to the iPad - at least, for those on the Next G network with a 3G, MicroSIM equipped iPad 1 or 2.

Although some on Whirlpool spoke in late December 2011 of being able to make Mobile Foxtel work on the iPad, there were also reports of the iPad-compatible app having disappeared, but that's not what caught my attention.

What alerted me to the new iPad compatibility was an update posted just a few days ago, which claimed to be universal, meaning it worked on both the iPhone and iPad, with the iPad version being native - no iPhone app pixel doubling required.

So, I contacted Telstra to find out what was going on, and a spokesperson informed me that iPad compatibility was now official in its 'Mobile Foxtel'  version 2.0 app.

Telstra says that new features of this version 2.0 app include an 'inbuilt Twitter IOS integration, which allows the user to tweet whilst watching their favourite show, a channel switching function which allows customers to channel surf while still watching a program and a reminder function which will sound five minutes before a customer's favourite program begins.'

The app lets you see how much of each currently airing episode has elapsed on the various channels that Mobile Foxtel offers, which is a pretty cool little feature.

Telstra also states that 'the 'Guide' part of the app has also been updated to allow customers the ease of searching for a show by program name, program time or by genre.'

Telstra's Executive Director of Media, Applications and User Experience, J-B Rousselot explain that the improvements to the mobile FOXTEL offering 'allow our customers to watch their favourite shows on any device without missing a minute.'

He specifically stated that: 'These changes aim to improve the customer experience and utilize Australia's fastest network - Telstra Next G', and promise that 'The Android version of the app will be available in the coming weeks'.

So, what are the things and caveats you need to know, along with pricing, to be able to watch Mobile Foxtel on your iPad?

Download locations, pricing, commentary and more concludes on page two, so please read on!