BBC Worldwide Brings The Pilot Global iPlayer App to iPhone and iPod Touch

Written by BBC Worldwide

Thursday, 08 December 2011

BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial arm, has announced that the global BBC iPlayer App will be available on iPhone and iPod Touch[1] as part of its pilot trial from 8th December. Previously exclusive to iPad, this unique Video on Demand pilot subscription service will now offer many more viewers in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Republic of Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland the opportunity to delve into an extensive archive of award-winning classic and contemporary British TV programming both at home and on the move. Those who already have a BBC iPlayer subscription on their iPad can use the same subscription to access the content via iPhone or iPod Touch at no extra charge[2] John Smith, Chief Executive of BBC Worldwide commented: “The global BBC iPlayer has seen great growth since the pilot first launched in July – both in terms of geographical expansion and technological developments.  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.” In a keynote speech to the Digital TV Summit this morning, Jana Bennett, President Worldwide Networks and Global BBC iPlayer, said, “This platform extension shows how Global iPlayer isn’t just about moving TV to tablet devices, 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.”  Until 25th December, a very special festive offer will still be available to those who download the app on iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch in the form of a free new show every day (promotion started 1st December).  The free content includes a festive themed variety of the best of BBC and the best of British creativity including Christmas specials from iconic shows Only Fools and Horses and Absolutely Fabulous, plus 12 Days of Gavin and Stacey, Jamie Oliver’s The Naked Chef – The Christmas Party, and Blackadder’s Christmas Carol dependent on availability per country.  The global BBC iPlayer brings together iconic British comedies such as Fawlty Towers, Absolutely Fabulous and Only Fools & Horses with contemporary sitcoms and sketch shows including Gavin and Stacey and Little Britain. Viewers can also enjoy thrilling new drama series Whitechapel and Spooks, classic period dramas such as the much loved and quintessentially British Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth, recent episodes of the UK’s famous soap EastEnders, global motoring phenomenon Top Gear, the Doctor Who archive, stunning natural history programmes Blue Planet and Horizon, and the adorable children’s show Charlie & Lola, all dependent on availability per country. Since 1st December the app has offered users in some territories[3] the opportunity to access EastEnders: E20 – a brand new online spin-off version of EastEnders comprised of 3 16-minute episodes, perfect for watching on the smaller screen or on the go. In addition to featuring the best in classic and current British shows, the app offers specially curated collections of programmes that will give audiences an opportunity to explore thousands of hours of fascinating content. Subscribers can embark on a journey of discovery of great British talent and writers, as well as learning the story of Doctor Who’s famous Daleks in Daleks Forever which is just one of the curated collections available in the extensive archive. Subscribers will also have the the opportunity to access the BBC’s music archive including captivating live shows by Oasis and Robbie Williams at the BBC Electric Proms from 2007 – 2009, Blur – Live at Hyde Park and Dire Straits – Arena. A weekly-updated BBC News Programme collection[4] is also available to subscribers offering highly respected topical news shows broadcast on the BBC News channels. Key titles include the BBC’s flagship news and current affairs programme, Newsnight, noted for its in-depth analysis and robust cross-examination of senior politicians (available within a week of the UK broadcast), as well as HARDTalk, Click (a popular technology magazine show covering news and developments in consumer technology), Fast Track and Talking Movies (a guide to the best in film, from the most recent Hollywood blockbusters to ground-breaking world cinema). Designed to be intuitive and easy-to-use, a key feature of the app allows subscribers both to stream and download shows for offline viewing for when Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity is unavailable. Users will also be able to use the iPhone ‘Airplay’ feature to wirelessly stream videos and music to Apple TV (2nd generation) and also stream music to AirPlay speakers or receivers, including AirPort Express.  The global BBC iPlayer App is now available to download for free from the App Store on iPhone at www.bbc.com/iplayer/tv   Tweet Pin It   1 The BBC Global iPlayer App is available on operating systems 4.3 and above including the following devices: iPhone 3 GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 4 2 Simply download the BBC iPlayer app onto the new device, tap Subscribe, and choose the Restore option. You will be asked to enter your Apple ID but will not be charged again for your subscription. 3 Please note EastEnders: E20 is not available to subscribers in Australia 4 Please note the news collection is subject to availability per country

Last Updated ( Thursday, 08 December 2011 )