Advanced Television

BBC iPlayer tuned into TV

August 8, 2011

By Colin Mann

The BBC has launched a new version of BBC iPlayer specifically designed for TV viewing in the living room. The new, personalised version is designed to give audiences the control they want directly on the TV, so the BBC iPlayer experience feels just like TV.

BBC iPlayer is now available on more than 300 different connected TV devices, and this new version – launching initially on Sony’s PlayStation 3 – will be coming to many more TV screens in the coming months as BBC iPlayer evolves beyond catch-up into a complete connected TV experience.

Daniel Danker, BBC’s General Manager, Programmes & On Demand, said: “BBC iPlayer has been tremendously successful. With today’s announcement, we’re transforming iPlayer in its most natural home: right on the living room TV. By creating a product that’s as simple and intuitive as flicking through TV channels, the BBC is bringing on demand television to mainstream audiences across the UK.”

Danker pointed out that recent Ofcom statistics indicated that ten per cent of TV sets sold in the UK were Internet-ready. “But BBC iPlayer is already available on over 300 connected TVs and Blu-ray disc players, which has resulted in a five-fold growth of iPlayer on TV over the last six months alone. At this rate of growth, in the next few years we could well see over half of iPlayer use directly on the living room TV,” he suggested.

Categories: Articles, Catch Up, Connected TV, Headline, OTT, OTT, VOD