The
BBC have officially launched the global version of their
iPlayer app on the
iPad which offers users who are outside of the
UK access to BBC programmes at a third of the price of a annual
TV license fee, £44.
The
app that is only accessibly via an
iPad, sorry
iPhonelovers, offers a range of archived and new programmes, has been released across 11 European countries and will be launched in the US and Canada by the end of this year.
To date more than 25 million
iPads have been sold, this is obviously a combination of the iPad and the newer generation
iPad 2. However, there are rumours circulating about the release of an iPad 3.
Regardless, the BBC
iPlayer app offers the best of the BBC but it does not contain a catch up service, live streamed content or even access to
radio content.
The UK exclusive iPlayer app offers everything that the iPlayer Wordwide app does not offer. This includes, a seven day catch up service, listen live to any of the BBCs radio stations and an ability to watch any of the 10 BBC TV channels live.
The monthly subscription costs £6.15 rather than the £12.15 per month for a TV license.
The app comes pre-loaded with 1,500 hours of content which is easy to search through thanks to an A-to-Z index and a most popular tab.
The app also gives viewers the ability to watch entire series of popular shows such as
Dr Who and Faulty Towers. There is even a just in section which will feature the most recently aired shows within a few days of broadcast as well as news specials such as Panorama.
Anyone who has
3G or
Wi-Fi (those who do not are not making the most of their iPad) will be able to
stream content, that is if you are in the UK. In addition, you will be able to download content and then watch it offline later when you fancy.