The BBC's iPlayer for iPhone has arrived in the United Kingdom with 3G streaming of live BBC TV and radio. In a blog post announcing the app, the BBC noted that 1.5 million users have installed the iPlayer for iPad app, and 16.5 million programs were watched on mobile devices, up 129% year-over-year. With the new iPhone and iPod Touch app, that number should continue to aggressively increase.

The UK version of iPlayer allows domestic viewers to view live BBC TV and radio and watch catch-up TV over Wi-Fi and 3G.

bbciplayer

The BBC iPlayer app for the iPhone and iPod touch puts all of the BBC’s national television channels and radio networks in your pocket. You can now watch live television channels and listen to live radio stations wherever you are.

We have developed a neat live channel switcher so you can easily flick between channels just like on your TV or radio. If you want to see what else is on right now just tap on the ‘Live Channels’ button while you watch. So, if I’m watching BBC One on my phone and want to see what’s on BBC Two, I just tap on ‘Live Channels’ to switch over. It’s an easy way to see what’s on now and flip over.

The app is compatible with Apple AirPlay. If you are running iOS 5, you can connect your iPhone or iPod touch to Apple TV and watch your favourite programme on your television.

You can listen to any of the BBC’s national radio stations in the app. To make this easier, we have enabled background audio so you can do other things on your phone, like check mail or surf the web, while listening to your favourite BBC radio station.

The 3G streaming works on the iPhone 3GS or newer as well as 3G-capable iPads. The app uses extensive adaptive bitrate technologies to adjust streaming speeds depending on signal strength, and the BBC's tech team has worked closely with UK carriers to optimize the experience for users.

BBC iPlayer is a universal app for iPhone and iPad, free on the App Store for United Kingdom users only. [Direct Link]

The BBC global iPlayer app, which was updated last week, is available in most of Western Europe and Canada -- and is coming to the United States. The app doesn't have the Live-TV, DVR and TV catch-up features that the British version does -- instead, it's a video-on-demand subscription service that gives access to selected portions of the BBC archive.

Top Rated Comments

kolax Avatar
174 months ago
I wonder if the British know what a precious resource they have in the BBC. From here in the hyper-commercialized US, it looks like a very valuable intellectual crown property. Keep it up!

BBC isn't just great for the ad-free content, it's the fact that it legally has to provide non-bias news content, plus their website for news and sport is excellent.

I sometimes moan about having to pay a license fee, but generally we get our moneys worth.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shagrat Avatar
174 months ago
I wonder if the British know what a precious resource they have in the BBC. From here in the hyper-commercialized US, it looks like a very valuable intellectual crown property. Keep it up!

On the other hand, let me whine like non-US posters do when Apple rolls out a new service gradually, and say, "Let's have it here!"

I guess I knew that the subscription model was what was going to happen for us non-Brits, and watching live is too much of a technical challenge to pull off, but I'd still think that giving us some access to the "crown jewels" of the BBC for free would be a very cheap advertisement for Britain.

In general, we do. Sadly we still have newspapers such as the Daily Mail which fall over themselves to slur the BBC at every available opportunity.
We have just had momentous political issues over the European Union, with our prime minister effectively opting out of much of the union, and with potentially long term consequences for the economy, jobs, etc. etc.
And what is the Mail's headline in these dangerous times?

"BBC FAKES FROZEN PLANET."

You probably won't have had a chance to see this magnificent series yet; just about the best natural history program ever made, with magnificent photography, and as thought provoking as any program could be, about an important part of the natural world.
But, because one small part of the program, featuring a polar bear having cubs, was filmed at a Zoo (because it would be either impossible to do in the wild,or at the very least dangerous for both the camera team, and the cubs) this turns into the headline above.
This is just one of many and regular attacks on the BBC from certain elements of the press, in the UK.

So for some, sadly, the BBC is used as a political football. Sure, the Beeb don't always get everything right. That is impossible. But those with a political agenda, are always baying for the BBC's blood. Of course their probable connections with other broadcasters, presumably in "competition" with the Beeb, are never mentioned.

At least it is nice to see that there are those outside the UK who appreciate the work that the bBC does at it's best.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
roadbloc Avatar
174 months ago
Amyyyyyy pondddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sixtafoua Avatar
174 months ago
Amyyyyyy pondddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ironduke Avatar
174 months ago

I sometimes moan about having to pay a license fee, but generally we get our moneys worth.


Mongrels
Lifes Too Short
Russle Howard
QI
Mock The Week
Dr Who
Rev
Claudia Winkleman <--Bang Tidy
Frozen Planet
Have I got News for You
Top Gear
Football League Show
Match of the Day


YOU BETCHA ARSE!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Swift Avatar
174 months ago
I wonder

I wonder if the British know what a precious resource they have in the BBC. From here in the hyper-commercialized US, it looks like a very valuable intellectual crown property. Keep it up!

On the other hand, let me whine like non-US posters do when Apple rolls out a new service gradually, and say, "Let's have it here!"

I guess I knew that the subscription model was what was going to happen for us non-Brits, and watching live is too much of a technical challenge to pull off, but I'd still think that giving us some access to the "crown jewels" of the BBC for free would be a very cheap advertisement for Britain.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
tvOS 18 Thumb 1

Apple Releases tvOS 18.4.1

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
iPhone Security Feature 25

Five iPhone Security Features You Should Be Using

Wednesday April 16, 2025 4:15 pm PDT by
Apple has quite a few security features that it's added to iPhones, iPads, and Macs over the years. Now more than ever, it's important to make sure you're taking advantage of the built-in security tools that are available to keep yourself and your data safe, so we've rounded up a list of the most important options. If you don't already have these enabled, you might want to consider turning...
vision air cable

Images of Apple 'Vision Air' Power Cable Emerge Online

Thursday April 17, 2025 5:55 am PDT by
More images of a redesigned power cable allegedly for a future Apple "Vision Air" headset were today shared online by the prototype collector and leaker known as "Kosutami." Yesterday, the leaker explained that the Apple "Vision Air" will feature a thinner design and switch the battery enclosure and several of its internal structures to titanium to reduce the device's overall weight. Most of ...