BBC iPlayer update coming today, will finally allow on-device downloads

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The BBC will finally release an update to its UK only BBC iPlayer app that will bring downloads to your iPhone and iPad. The current version of iPlayer will only allow you to stream content to your device which has always been very limiting, especially if you are travelling. The news comes from The Guardian and the update should go live sometime today.

From Tuesday, licence-fee payers will be able to download BBC programmes from the iPlayer video-on-demand service and watch them offline on Apple's iPhone and iPad at no extra cost, including while abroad. The development marks a significant shift for BBC iPlayer, which has previously only allowed viewers to stream programmes to tablets and mobile devices with broadband connections or download them to watch on a desktop computer.

Daniel Danker, the BBC's general manager of on-demand programmes, said: "This fundamentally changes one of the most annoying restrictions about viewing programmes. It means audiences are liberated from the constraints and it fundamentally changes what it means to go on holiday. "He added: "With mobile downloads, you can now load up your mobile phone or tablet with hours and hours of BBC programmes, then watch them on the road, on the tube, on a plane, without worrying about having an internet connection or running up a mobile data bill."

Once you have downloaded a TV episode, you will have a total of thirty days to enjoy it, after that it will become unwatchable on your device. If you start watching a program, you will then only have a further seven days to finish watching it. Strange restrictions I know but it must have something to do with media copyright etc.

The download service which is believed to launch later today, will start off as a Wi-Fi only service. The BBC will hopefully expand this to work over 3G too although with today’s restrictive low quantity mobile data plans it may not be a much desired feature anyway. The BBC iPlayer service is free in the UK for all BBC Television licence payers and the download service will also be offered as a completely free service too.

Update: It's now live in the App Store

Download Now

I am extremely happy that the BBC has decided to introduce downloads to its iPhone and iPad apps. Being on a slow connection, streaming was never a great option for me, now I can download the programmes I want to see and watch them whenever I have time without the buffering and stuttering. If you are a BBC iPlayer user, are you happy about the new download functionality?

Source: The Guardian

Chris Oldroyd

UK editor at iMore, mobile technology lover and air conditioning design engineer.

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0 9 111 More of: News
More of: Bbc, Iplayer, Downloads, Tv, Video, Uk ? PreviouslyiPhone 5 preview: Processor, graphics, RAM, and storage Next up ?12 million iOS unique device identifiers (UDID) reportedly hacked from FBI laptop There are 5 comments. Add yours. exwindz says: Sep 4, 2012 at 9:11 am - 22 hours ago

The way the title is worded "will finally allow" makes it sound like we were entitled to it. It's only been out for abut a year, great update by them though.

Reply Mercifull says: Sep 4, 2012 at 10:07 am - 21 hours ago

Yes but the international version of the app (the one you have to pay for and is not available in the uk) DOES let you download shows.

Reply exwindz says: Sep 4, 2012 at 10:24 am - 20 hours ago

because you pay for it, expecting something for nothing in this day and age, well... yeah.

Reply calum86 says: Sep 4, 2012 at 12:13 pm - 19 hours ago

By expecting something for nothing are you referring to the the fact that we pay approx £145 per year for access to BBC content?...

Reply cstewmax says: Sep 4, 2012 at 12:31 pm - 18 hours ago

Will the BBC iPlayer ever be available in the US?

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