Pure

Digital Radio & Pure

1995

BBC switches on national digital radio multiplex with Radios 1-5, Parliament and Sports Plus

1999

Digital One, the first national commercial digital radio multiplex, launches with Planet Rock, Talk Radio (now talkSPORT), Classic FM, Virgin Radio (now Absolute Radio), and Core (a top 40 station operated by GWR)
First production digital radio tuner goes on sale

2000

Imagination Technologies (Pure's parent company) launches the DRX-601E DAB tuner under the VideoLogic brand, bringing digital radio tuners to a new affordable price point
Digital One begins roll-out of first 20 transmitters

2001

Frontier Silicon launches Chorus 1 low cost digital radio chip using Imagination Technologies' intellectual property
VideoLogic announces PURE DRX-601EX, the world's first portable digital radio (at £499 SRP)
DRDB (Digital Radio Development Bureau), the body set up to represent the BBC and commercial digital radio, launches a limited edition £99 radio with VideoLogic to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Marconi's first wireless transmission and to gauge public interest in the £99 price point. The radios sell out in an hour.

2002

The Pure brand is born and the iconic Evoke-1 launches. Evoke-1 was the world's first mainstream sub-£100 digital radio and the first product launched under the Pure brand. People queue down Oxford street to get their hands on one
BBC digital only stations launch including 1Xtra, 6Music, Radio 7, 5Live and Asian Network
Pure Australia opens and works with government to establish digital radio trials
Pure Germany opens (incorporating Switzerland and Austria)

2003

Pure launches PocketDAB 1000, the world's first pocket digital radio
Evoke goes stereo with the launch of the Pure Evoke-2

2004

Pure launches the Bug, the world's first digital radio with EPG, pause, rewind and record

2005

Pure updates Evoke-1 and relaunches it as Evoke-1XT
Fun Radio (now Fun Kids), the only radio station for children, launches
Pure launches Evoke-3 with pause and rewind and recording to SD card
Pure launches Sonus-1XT, the world's first digital radio for the blind and visually impaired

2006

Pure ships its millionth radio
Evoke-1XT gets a rock star makeover with the launch of the Evoke-1XT Marshall

2007

Pure launches Highway, the world's first in-car digital radio adapter
Pure Evoke-1XT Marshall digital radios are signed by rock stars including Eric Clapton, Oasis and Muse and auctioned for the Nordoff Robbins music therapy charity

2008

Pure ships its 2,000,000th radio
Pure launches best sounding Evoke yet: Evoke-2S with Clearsound technology
Pure launches first Energy Saving Trust approved radio range
The Pure Evoke goes online with the launch of the Evoke Flow
Pure Evoke gets a colourful new look with the launch of the Evoke Mio in Chilli, Candy, Moss, Noir and Chocolate
Pure launches the Lounge internet radio portal (www.thelounge.com)
Virgin Radio is rebranded as Absolute radio
Listeners and high profile rock stars successfully campaign to save Planet Rock from closure

2009

Digital Britain report recommends a digital radio switchover date of 2015
Pure launches Sensia, the radio for the Facebook generation and the world's first high-resolution touchscreen digital radio
Amazing Radio (replacing popular birdsong channel), UCB, Premier Christian Radio and BFBS Radio (British Forces Broadcasting Service) launch nationally on digital radio
Pure ships its 3,000,000th radio
Absolute Radio launches Absolute 80s
Pure France opens (incorporating Belgium and Netherlands)
Pure USA opens

2010

Absolute Radio launches new services including Absolute 90s and Extra
Evoke goes designer with the launch of Evoke Mio by Orla Kiely, which features the renowned designer's signature stem print
Smooth Radio launches nationally on digital radio
Pure Italy opens
BBC 6Music saved from closure due to popular demand
The Evoke-1S Marshall is born and yes the volume still goes up to 11!
Pure launches the first integrated music tagging service (FlowSongs now Pure Tag)

2011

Absolute Radio launches new services Absolute Radio 60s and Absolute Radio 70s
Pure launches cloud-based on-demand music service, Pure Music
Jazz FM, Heart, Kiss and Capital roll out nationally on digital radio
Pure launches a second Evoke Mio by Orla Kiely with her Abacus Flower print
BBC Radio 7 rebrands as BBC Radio 4 Extra and quickly becomes the digital only station with the most listeners (an increase of over 400,000 weekly listeners)
Pure brings RSPB birdsong to its range of wireless music and radio systems
It's announced that all new cars will come with digital radio fitted as standard by 2013
Pure ships its 4,000,000th radio
BBC national digital radio population coverage reaches 93%
Pure launches new look Lounge with music store
BBC confirms it will extend digital radio coverage to 97% of the population including motorways and primary roads
Pure Nordics opens

2012

Pure celebrates its 10th anniversary with a new brand identity
BBC to launch BBC Radio 5 Live Olympics Extra in July, a national digital radio station, which will carry coverage for the duration of the games
Pure celebrates ten years of the Evoke with the launch of the commemorative Evoke Mio Union Jack Edition