The wonders of iPlayer are not any longer the reserve of the Brits. As of today, iPad users in 11 other countries across Europe can sign up for the service for €7 monthly or €50 per year. That equates to $10 — almost about living as much as the Beeb’s promised maximum price . The subscription grants access to a wealth of TV classics, like Fawlty Towers and Only Fools & Horses, in addition unwitting comedies like EastEnders. Some kind of motoring series by the name of Top Gear is additionally available, for people who like cars and middle-aged men in pointy shoes. The app will allow for downloading in addition to streaming, and marks a “pilot phase” for the service, which should hopefully reach the previous colonial outpost of America before too long. Full details within the PR after the break.
LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial arm, is from today offering audiences across Europe the 1st-ever opportunity to delve right into a digital mixture of classic and contemporary British TV programming with the launch of the hot global BBC iPlayer app, available exclusively on iPad www.bbc.com/iplayer/tv.
“In line with the soaring success of the UK’s pioneering BBC iPlayer service, the app combines technical innovation with editorial creativity to move users to the guts of the BBC and British television and on a journey of discovery, wherever and whenever they need”
This brand-new video on demand subscription service, launching first in Western Europe, will deliver the award-winning programming upon which the BBC’s history and heritage is built, to viewers in 11 markets. For €6.99 a month (or €49.99 for an annual subscription), the app will initially be available in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Republic of eire, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.
Subscribers may be ready to access a rich choice of captivating English language programmes across eight genres: News Specials & Documentaries; Entertainment; Drama; Comedy; Science & Nature; Family & Kids; Music & Culture and Lifestyle. The app brings together classic comedies equivalent to Fawlty Towers and Only Fools & Horses, thrilling drama series Sherlock, Luther and lots loved Pride and Prejudice, recent episodes of the UK’s famous soap EastEnders, global motoring phenomenon Top Gear, the Doctor Who archive and the adorable children’s show Charlie & Lola. Hours of recent programming would be added to the service per week, including imaginatively themed collections curated from the BBC’s extensive archive, including David Attenborough and the tale of the Royal Family.
Designed to be intuitive and straightforward-to-use, a key feature of the app allows subscribers both to stream and to download shows for offline viewing for after they can’t access Wi-Fi connectivity. The fashionable and straightforward interface enables users to construct a private library of shows.
John Smith CEO BBC Worldwide said: “I’m proud that we’re probably the most first international broadcasters to provide access to our shows in a wonderfully packaged app. This launch is a vital path to market in our technique of pursuing multiple platforms for our programmes and types, taking British programmes to new digital audiences world wide. Today marks an important next step on a digital journey that has already seen 12m BBC Worldwide apps downloaded across brands as diverse as Lonely Planet and Good Food.”
“In line with the soaring success of the UK’s pioneering BBC iPlayer service, the app combines technical innovation with editorial creativity to move users to the guts of the BBC and British television and on a journey of discovery, wherever and whenever they need,” said Jana Bennett, BBC Worldwide President of world Networks and Global iPlayer “We have now an exhilarating vision for what this service could become and may develop it in accordance with feedback from throughout the markets.”
The worldwide BBC iPlayer App is now available to download without cost from the App Store inside the launch markets on iPad at www.bbc.com/iplayer/tv.
The worldwide version of the BBC iPlayer app launched today marks the beginning of a pilot phase for the service.
Insert Coin: Node helps your smartphone monitor just about everything
NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 chips get LTE support, radio makers GCT and Renesas on board
