BT has announced the launch of a new iOS app which will enable Apple device owners to hook themselves up to any one of the company’s 5.2 million Wi-Fi hotspots automatically.

Figures show BT Wi-Fi usage more than doubling over the last quarter, reaching 6.6 billion minutes, and the company will look to increase its number of users once again through the new roaming technology.

Expertreviews.co.uk says any iPod, iPad or iPhone user running iOS 6 or later can download the app for free via the App Store.

As soon as its in range, the device will connect to a hotspot automatically so long as the app is open in the background. Users aren’t required to open the tool in order to search for a connection and every inch of the process is completed by BT.

The company says a similar app will be made for Windows 8.1, enabling automatic connectivity for desktop, laptop and tablet devices, but it’s not known whether Android users will benefit from the same service.

Talking to uswitch.com, BT wi-fi and devices director Erik Raphael said the app represented the next logical step in BT’s quest to provide better connectivity to mobile device users.

“Our new iOS app connects a customer whenever they are near a hotspot without the need to open the app again,” he added.

“This makes it even easier to find and use BT Wi-Fi.”