BBC iPlayer Goes Live on New Apple TV in the UK - MacRumors
Skip to Content

BBC iPlayer Goes Live on New Apple TV in the UK

by

The BBC today launched its BBC iPlayer app for the new Apple TV in the United Kingdom, bringing the popular streaming service from the UK's public broadcaster to Apple's set-top box for the first time. iPlayer had been a notable omission on earlier boxes, but with the new Apple TV supporting a full App Store for third-party apps, there has been increasing demand for the BBC to bring its service to the platform.

bbc_iplayer_apple_tv


Following Apple's unveiling of the new Apple TV at Apple's "Hey Siri" media event, the BBC indicated it had "no plans" at that time to bring iPlayer to the Apple TV, but by the time the new box launched in late October, the broadcaster had changed course and announced iPlayer would be made available "in the coming months."

bbc_iplayer_apple_tv_interface
(Thanks, Brian!)

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Tag: BBC iPlayer
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater

Popular Stories

General visionOS watchOS and tvOS Betas Feature Redux

Apple Releases Second watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6 and visionOS 26.6 Betas

Monday June 15, 2026 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today provided developers with the second betas of upcoming watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6, and visionOS 26.6 betas for testing purposes. The software comes three weeks after Apple seeded the first betas. The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required. There's no word on what's in the...
Read Full Article • 6 comments
Apple TV 2025 Thumb 2 Sans Text

tvOS 27: Apple Music Gains Hi-Res Lossless Audio on Apple TV 4K

Wednesday June 10, 2026 1:44 am PDT by
Apple Music is bringing Hi-Res Lossless Audio to tvOS 27, in addition to standard Lossless Audio. Apple says subscribers with compatible external speaker outputs will be able to enjoy their favorite songs in the highest audio quality and experience studio-quality sound directly through their Apple TV 4K. As of tvOS 26, Apple TV 4K supports Apple Music Lossless audio up to 24-bit/48 kHz,...
Read Full Article • 73 comments
Apple TV Remote Icon

iOS 27 Lets You Add Apple TV Remote to Your iPhone's Home Screen

Thursday June 11, 2026 11:51 am PDT by
Starting with iOS 27, the virtual Apple TV remote can be added to the iPhone's Home Screen again, rather than being limited to Control Center. To do so, swipe down on the Home Screen and search for "remote." Next, tap and hold on the Remote app and drag it to your Home Screen. Alternatively, you can find it in the App Library. Apple used to offer an Apple TV Remote app in the App Store, but...
Read Full Article • 44 comments

Top Rated Comments

John.B Avatar
John.B
138 months ago
Why should UK license payers supplement those people?
If they sold BBC content outside the UK on monthly subscriptions, "those people" could supplement UK license payers.

Just sayin'...
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
6
6836838
138 months ago
Now if only they got off this region-locking rubbish and offered it outside the UK. As a matter of fact, all content producers should just end their utterly ridiculous need to region control content!
Why should UK license payers supplement those people?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheIguana Avatar
TheIguana
138 months ago
Now if only they got off this region-locking rubbish and offered it outside the UK. As a matter of fact, all content producers should just end their utterly ridiculous need to region control content!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
tillsbury
138 months ago
The word you're looking for is "subsidize".
The word you're looking for is 'subsidise'.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
alexgowers
138 months ago
Why should UK license payers supplement those people?
Yeah we legally have to pay for the BBC it should be available on every platform we could possibly want and sold to those outside the UK to reduce our television tax as it were. It makes some of the best programming in the world.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
P
Planey28
138 months ago
Hopefully All 4 and Amazon Video aren't far behind..
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments