Skip to main content

BBC iPlayer launches in 11 countries

iplayerBrits have been using the phenomenally popular service for nearly four years, but from Thursday 11 other countries will be able to see what all the fuss is about.

We’re talking about the BBC iPlayer, an on-demand broadband television and radio service that allows viewers to watch programming broadcast by the BBC for up to seven days after it has been aired.

Recommended Videos

According to a Guardian report, the service will be available through an iPad app to 11 countries in western Europe (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland). Later in the year the service will also be launched in the US, Canada and Australia as part of a one-year pilot scheme.

The service will differ slightly for international users compared to those in the UK – some content will be offered for free (supported by advertising), but to gain full access, users will be encouraged to take out a subscription for €6.99 a month or €49.99 a year. Considering that in the UK every household in possession of a TV has to pay an annual license fee of £145.50 (€165), the fee for overseas users of the iPlayer looks pretty reasonable.

So what will you get for your money? More BBC content than you’ll ever have time to watch, by the sounds of it.

Speaking to the Guardian, Luke Bradley-Jones, managing director of BBC.com, outlined a difference with the UK iPlayer: “This is not a catch-up service: this is a video-on-demand service. We will have content from the last month, but also the best from the catalogue stretching back 50 to 60 years.”

He continued: “What we’re trying to test in the pilot is the ability to drive exploration and discovery through a programming approach rather than an algorithm-based approach. We’re not trying to compete against a Netflix or a Hulu. This has to be tailored and hand-crafted, so we can create a tone of voice.”

Besides the ability to browse genres of programming, users will also be presented with themed collections, such as all the Doctor Who series based on which Doctor was playing the role at the time.

Mark Smith, launch director of the global iPlayer, said, “There is at least 1,500 hours of content there from day one, and it will be growing by at least 100 hours a month going forward.”

The iPad app will allow users to stream programs over 3G as well Wi-Fi, and to download for later viewing offline.

On the subject of the global iPlayer becoming available on other mobile devices, Bradley-Jones had this to say: “We hope that this service becomes multi-device, multi-platform and multi-territory over time, but as a premium-but-niche service, we did not want to go in with both feet from day one.”

The iPlayer is a big hit with users in the UK, who can watch TV programs and listen to radio shows on mobile devices, PCs and through many TV sets. In March of this year the iPlayer received 160 million requests for TV and radio shows, an increase of 12 million on the month before.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Topics
Apple’s first OLED iPad Air will reportedly launch in 2026
Two iPad Air models showing the screens.

The iPad Air is a great device with a thin and lightweight design, powerful capabilities, a long-lasting battery, and support for games, video, and work. However, one shortfall of the Air is that, unlike the iPad Pro, it uses an LCD panel and a screen with a 60Hz refresh rate, which makes it feel sluggish and outdated compared to Apple’s top-tier devices.

That may be set to change in 2026, according to The Elec, which reported that Samsung Display will likely be the main supplier of OLED panels for the iPad Air. This would be welcome news since previous reporting from Apple Insider suggested that OLED displays on the iPad Air weren’t due until 2028, so getting them a couple of  years earlier will be sure to please Apple fans.

Read more
Apple will reportedly launch an iPhone Air in 2025. Here’s what we know
A render of the iPhone Air.

Rumors about Apple iPhone models for 2025 are already starting to circulate, even though we’re still waiting for the iPhone 16 series to be officially announced this fall. While we’re still pretty far out for the anticipated release of the iPhone 17 models next year, that hasn’t stopped speculation that Apple may be set for a major change to its iPhone 17 lineup with the release of a much slimmer iPhone called the iPhone Air.

The source of this speculation — and that’s all it is so far — is Front Page Tech’s Jon Prosser, who posted a 12-minute YouTube video delving into Apple potentaially changing the lineup of the iPhone 17 models and introducing a new device with a new name.

Read more
Hurry! The iPad Pro 11 has a $300 price cut at Best Buy
The 11-inch Apple iPad Pro 2021 with a colorful screen.

The Apple iPad was pivotal in bringing tablet tech into the mainstream, and it’s still one of the best brands to go with for these much-sought mobile devices. Nowadays, there are several iPad deals happening at once, which can make picking the right unit for your wants and needs a little challenging. Fortunately, we know what promos to look for, which often leads us to discounts on iPads with great all-around usability. And guess what? We found one today!

Right now, you can purchase the iPad Pro 11 at Best Buy for only $699. At full price, you’d be spending $1,000 for this bad boy.

Read more