The BBC is rolling-out its global iPlayer app to Apple iPhones and iPod touches.
Global iPlayer app will also get radio content
The app for the catch-up service was initially made available for Apple iPads only in July this year and allowed users in 11 countries in Western Europe including France, Germany, Italy and Spain to watch BBC shows, such as Doctor Who, Top Gear and Eastenders as well as classic programmes including Fawlty Towers and Only Fools and Horses, on-demand rather than just catching-up on the shows broadcast over the last seven days.
However, the app, which is free to download from the App Store but comes with a monthly subscription of €6.99 (£6.15) per month or an annual cost of €49.99 (£44), has now been made available to Apple's smartphone and iPod Touch owners. The app is also now available in 15 countries including Australia and Canada.
"The global BBC iPlayer has seen great growth since the pilot first launched in July – both in terms of geographical expansion and technological developments.," said John Smith, the chief executive of the BBC Worldwide
"Moving to iPhone and iPod Touch allows us to take the service to a significant new potential audience and deliver fantastic programme content from the BBC and the UK's creative industry."
The BBC also revealed it will add two new categories to the global iPlayer app in January, Music and Arts and Culture. Furthermore, selected speech programmes from BBC radio will also be made available through the app.
President of Worldwide Networks and Global BBC iPlayer, Jana Bennett, said "it's also about a mobile strategy – about truly getting TV everywhere in a way that it hasn't been before".
"We also want the global BBC iPlayer to be truly representative of the whole gamut of British creative output, to represent everything that is great about British content – not just the Best of British TV but the Best of British Culture."
Comments
Matt Egan said: Hang on. Might be missing something here. Are you suggesting that we'd be better off with only fully private media? I ask as the editor of PC Advisor, the uk's largest technology mag, a private, profit-making entity. In principle the Beeb is an unfair rival to us, but, all honesty, the £150 I pay for the BBC is the best bargain of the year. My own opinion.
the bunker said: Hey Bert - get a bigger phone - try the Galaxy Note 5.3in screen should sort the problem out...Re BBCiPlayer - how are they behind the times ? - show me a major media organisation with anything like the presence the BBC has.I agree the licensing model is wrong, but despite this a significant portion of people who pay the licence fee do actually benefit from the alternative means of viewing, ie: iPlayer service.Things can be better for sure, but ultimately the BCC reflect the majority, but keep the door ajar into the future...
Old Bert said: People are entitled to comment on what they want. I for one can not understand why anyone wants to watch anything in a break..how long is the break? As regards the BBC there is no requirement for a service to "evolve" using the licence tax that is a mandatory payment required by law under the threat of penal servitude by only those that own a TV.[The obvious solution is that the BBC should really a be a subscription only service and then the majority pay not the minority]I do concur that when you are younger you may be able to see pictures clearly on a phone but as age catches you your arms get too short to focus!
ippyboi said: For the life of me can't understand why people comment on how people want to use a device. Its a subscription service, and if people want to pay the BBC to use the app thats great. Much better than them using youtube or other methods of copying.Not everyone has an iPad, or desktop. I am lucky and do have both of those, but its a little bit harder to put my iMac in my pocket take it to work and watch on my break!The BBC needs to evolve, they no longer have the market share of viewers and as long as this pays for itself who cares who uses it, on what device and when.
Old Bert said: Can't for the life of me make any sense out of this who would want to watch anything on a Phone?I do hope that the BBC has not been spending the license tax money on this, If people are spending £6:02 per month have got more money than sense!Current exchange rate €1.166 =£1