BBC iPlayer

video on demand service from the BBC

BBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an online service developed by the BBC which lets you catch up on the last week's television and radio. The service can be used from computers on the BBC website at bbc.co.uk. It can also be used from games consoles, cable television, smart phones and tablets.

BBC iPlayer
Developer(s)BBC
Initial release25 December 2007; 16 years ago (25 December 2007)
Stable release
3.2.15 / 13 July 2012; 12 years ago (2012-07-13)
Written inJavaScript

Adobe AIR
Objective-C

Java
PlatformMicrosoft Windows

macOS
Linux
iOS
Android
Apple TV
Amazon Fire TV
Chromecast
Roku
Virgin Media (Streaming only)
Freesat (beta)
Sky Go (part of on Demand service)
Sky TV
BT TV (part of on Demand service)
Now TV
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Windows Phone 8
YouView

Wii U
Available inEnglish

Welsh

Scottish Gaelic[1]
TypeMedia player software
LicenseTV licence
Websitewww.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

BBC iPlayer was first called the Integrated Media Player (iMP),[2][3] the Interactive Media Player,[4] and then MyBBCPlayer.[5] BBC iPlayer left Beta and went live on 25 December 2007.[6] On 25 June 2008, it was announced that a new-look iPlayer would be launched.[7] The new version is now live.

History

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In July 2007 the BBC started a small BETA version of iPlayer as a trial service. During this BETA time, iPlayer was only available as a download (WMV format) meaning that any person who did not have Windows loaded on their computer could not use iPlayer. This was not a popular move, and the BBC was put under pressure to allow all people to use iPlayer.[8]

On Christmas Day 2007, iPlayer was no longer in BETA. People could now also watch programmes on the website instead of having to download the video as people had to do before. This meant that people who did not have Windows installed on their computers could use iPlayer as well. This made iPlayer a lot more popular and easier to use, so much so that 3.5 million programmes were viewed in a fortnight.[9]

References

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  1. Hewines, James (2 December 2008). "BBC iPlayer Goes Local". BBC Internet Blog. British Broadcasting Corp.
  2. "BBC launches catch-up TV trials". BBC News. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2008.
  3. "Results of the BBC's Integrated Media Player trial". Goliath. 13 April 2007. Retrieved 14 May 2008.
  4. "BBC interactive Media Player: news & review". DJ Alchemi. 23 August 2004.
  5. "My BBC Cool Blue". open.bbc.co.uk. 25 May 2006. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  6. "BBC iPlayer Launched". Broadband Finder. 27 December 2007. Archived from the original on 22 September 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  7. "BBC iPlayer Gets Re-designed". BBC Press Office. 25 June 2008.
  8. "BBC says iPlayer criticism unfair (Interview with Ashley Highfield)". silicon.com. 31 October 2007.[permanent dead link]
  9. "iPlayer Launch: First Indications". Ashley Highfield. 24 January 2008.

Other websites

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