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

HomePod mini and Apple TV Sage

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Are 'Nearly Ready' to Launch, New Siri Remote Also Rumored

Sunday May 31, 2026 8:47 am PDT by
New models of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are "nearly ready to go," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Both devices have been ready "for months," but Apple is holding off on launching them until the more personalized version of Siri is available, he said. "I am told the hardware for the next Apple TV...
Read Full Article • 144 comments
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
f 5d631a2d7714517b0b0137e38aadf744d175cb3e

Apple Releases First iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 Betas to Developers

Monday June 8, 2026 11:40 am PDT by
Following the WWDC 2026 keynote event, Apple has seeded the first betas of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 to developers for testing purposes. Registered developers can opt in to betas and download the software through the Settings app on each device. The software includes many of the new features that were shown off earlier today, though some of what...
Read Full Article • 107 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
137 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