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iPlayer iPad app available on Thursday

by Sarah Griffiths on 8 February 2011, 10:59

Tags: BBC, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

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App on demand

The Beeb's interactive operations manager has announced via Twitter that the eagerly anticipated BBC iPlayer app for Apple's iPad will be available to download on Thursday.

Geoff Marshall tweeted: "iPlayer App for iPad is being released this Thursday - 10th Feb. 3G connection is browse only. Browse+Playback requires Wi-Fi. #iplayer"

According to Pocketlint he spilt the beans following a meeting at the Beeb. iPad owners can of course access iPlayer already but there is no dedicated app and some iPad users have noted it is rather inelegant pulling links to the home screen.

Marshall also confirmed that the app will only be for the iPad and not the iPhone, yet he added that he is "merely a Beeb operational techie, and not an App developer!".

He also tweeted that the app's launch is "going to upset the excited Americans as its UK only to begin with ..."

It is rumoured that an international version of iPlayer and maybe even an app will be rolled out later this year and be subscription-based to raise some cash for Auntie.

Jon Smith, the chief exec of the beeb's commercial wing called BBC Worldwide said back in November that a global roll-out would take advantage of the ‘under-exploited' demand for UK shows like Doctor Who or Top Gear. An international move could mean advertising could be introduced to iPlayer in a bid to bring in big bucks, unless BBC Worldwide decides to charge viewers for using the service. 

Marshall said that inter-linking, where links to non-BBC shows are available will go live on 8 February, probably on the browser version of iPlayer.



HEXUS Forums :: 3 Comments

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Now we just need M$ to stop being greedy idiots and put it on XBL.
Don't see the need for an app - it works fine on iphone/ipad as it is.
If it lets you download that would be a bonus - even on a fast, reliable connection you get constant interruptions/buffering breaks if the servers are overloaded (which seems to be most of the time).