Microsoft launches the Official Eurovision Song Contest companion app

With an international audience of 200 million, and 40 participating countries, the Eurovision Song Contest is undoubtedly one of the world’s most popular televised entertainment events. Today, Microsoft and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announce the launch of the official Eurovision Song Contest app – by far the best way for Eurovision fans to keep up to date with the latest news, as well as to vote for their favorite acts when the music starts in May.

Based on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, the ultimate Eurovision Song Contest companion app is available in English across all EU countries, as well as in Dutch, Swedish, German, Danish, French and Spanish.

Coming first on Windows Phone, and created together with voting and peak performance app specialist digame mobile GmbH, the new app makes sure watching the show will be more exciting than ever! As viewers follow the action on television, the app introduces participating artists, lyrics for each song (allowing impromptu karaoke!), information on their country of origin, and, of course, the results. Full functionality includes:

EurovisionLaunchImage2

Features available from today:

  • All the latest stories, photos and videos
  • A MatchMaker game allowing fans to identify which Eurovision decade they best match
  • Music shop where fans can buy the official Eurovision Song Contest 2015 Album as well as karaoke versions for each song
  • Merchandising shop stocking a full range of Eurovision souvenirs

Features available in May update:

  • Second screen feature for following the live show, including detailed information about every artist, song and participating country
  • Detailed artist profiles allowing fans to get to know the participants
  • A range of selfie filters, giving fans’ pictures a touch of Eurovision
  • Voting: Along with each country’s professional jury, it is up to viewers to decide the outcome of the 60th Eurovision Song Contest. Voting from the app (local rates apply) means this has never been easier. After voting, fans receive a special video message from their favorite artist!

As well as making the contest even more enjoyable to watch with the official app, we are also supporting the hundreds of volunteers and delegates who work so hard to deliver such a fantastic event each year. This year’s volunteers will each be equipped with Lumia 535 smartphones and Yammer so they can stay in touch before and during the show, ensuring everyone is in tune on the big night!

“At Microsoft, we are delighted to play such a core role in fans’ enjoyment of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. Today, it is increasingly common for TV viewers to augment their enjoyment of programming with digital experiences delivered via their mobile or tablet device. With the Official EBU Eurovision Song Contest app, fans won’t miss a thing as we transform their smart device into a second screen delivering live updates and more throughout the show. This year we anticipate over one million downloads by mobile users in more than 207 countries.”

The Official EBU Eurovision Song Contest 2015 app is available on Windows Phone and Windows Tablet from today. Android and iOS version will be available from April 29.

Tags: , , ,

Related Posts