BBC iPlayer Goes Global, Now Streams on iPhone and iTouch

It may be a little longer until Global BBC iPlayer launches in the U.S, but the app is already extending its reach in Europe and Canada as it now streams on the iPad, iPhone and iTouch.

Despite having the same name, the international version of the iPlayer works differently to that in the U.K. The national iPlayer in the U.K is ultimately a catch-up service for those who want to stream shows they miss on the BBC's television channels. For their international audience, the BBC offers a commercial service where people can pay to watch selected programs from the BBC archive.

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, Jana Bennet, President of Global BBC iPlayer told the Digital Summit in London on Dec.10.

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, she added.

The Global BBC iPlayer will also feature programs from other channels such as Channel in an aim to expand their Best of British TV output, Informitv.com reported.

An initial report has found that 35 per cent of viewers who visit the Global BBC iPlayer per day, watch more than one show, the Wall Street Journal's Tech Europe reported, adding that three-fourths of subscribers access the app every day.

The native version of BBC's iPlayer launched its 3G streaming update on the iPhone and iTouch on Monday, the BBC announced.

There have been record figures for BBC iPlayer on mobile with 1.5 million installs on the Apple iPad and 1.2 million installs on Android devices since they launched the apps in February 2011, the BBC reported on their Internet blog.

In October 2011 alone 16.5 million programs were watched on mobile devices and tablets, up by 129% from this time last year.