And not at all to drive people to the BBC Sounds App, which I really don't know why it exists.
In an 'all IP' future - which is where broadcasting is going, personalisation and recommendations will be key, and gathering metrics personal to each user are vital. They are already a major aspect of Netflix's and YouTube's success (and why Netflix has user profiles within its app).
Additionally, once (or if) RAJAR and BARB become increasingly irrelevant, the BBC needs listener and viewer metrics to understand what viewers are watching and listening to and like or don't like.
Increasingly, any platform that can't supply the BBC with the metrics it feels it needs, will not be able to syndicate the BBC's content. The BBC has been quite audience-friendly with the TuneIn move. They will continue to supply TuneIn with BBC content on platforms that only support TuneIn asa route to accessing BBC services (like Sonos), but other devices (Amazon Echo, Google Assistant etc.) where BBC content is available via other routes that provide the BBC with audience metrics will no longer have TuneIn support for BBC services (as TuneIn don't provide the BBC with the data they want, in return for access to BBC services)
The BBC Sounds app, like the BBC iPlayer app, is a way of ensuring the BBC gets the metrics it wants, and is a way of developing a personalisation profile (like Facebook+Instagram, Twitter, Netflix, Amazon, YouTube+Google do) that will increasingly be vital.
But the constant push towards it, which even as a lay person just feels like "another app" when the ones I have already work just fine, is what I find annoying. To my mind, so long as its covered by the relevant rights the BBC's content as a PSB should be available on as many mediums as possible, so long as its a legitimate source. Why do I need to clog up my device because the BBC can't get the metrics it wants. Mini rant.
Short term - I can totally understand that view. But the reality is that the operators of the third party routes to accessing content are hoovering up all the metrics, metadata and other information about the people listening to content they are aggregating and providing, and not always passing that data on to the people who actually produce the content in the first place. You can pretty much guarantee that Google are doing this with their podcasts app. If they pass that data onto the content creators - and allow content creators to act on it, that's fine. If they keep it to themselves, that's not fine.
As we move to an all IP future - the ability to personalise and tailor your experience of listening and viewing BBC content is going to be key, just as it is with Netflix, Amazon Prime etc. Even something as basic as a podcast bookmark travelling between BBC Sounds on your phone and your Amazon Echo should be straightforward.
You don't see Amazon, Netflix, ITV or C4 content being distributed by third party apps...
Yes - radio and podcasts are different - but equally, the BBC has to safeguard its future, to continue to produce high quality content funded by the licence fee payer. It has to stay relevant, and its distribution models will need to be as relevant and of the same quality as its commercial rivals.
The power of personalisation cannot be underestimated. It's a key part of the future.