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A few days ago, we learned that the British Broadcasting Corporation would be bringing out an Android version of their iPlayer app that streams radio and TV to your phones and tablets. We also received a preliminary launch date to look forward to: February 10th.
Checking my calendar, today was supposed to be the day the app dropped in the Android market and it did. You’ll need to be on Android 2.2 to run the app, and you’ll also need to be in the United Kingdom – no freebies for us Yankees or anyone else. Head over to the Android market to grab it now. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
About time! The only thing I was gutted about with my phone was the fact that I couldn’t get iPlayer without messing around. So glad now.
We should all download it and give it a low rating for its’ reliance on Android 2.2 and (perhaps more importantly) Flash. They took away myPlayer for this?!
It probably wouldn’t change the BBC’s stupid policy (I bet the BBC’s execs have iPhones which is why they’re exempt from the “flash for everything” policy) but it might help show strength of feeling from BBC Licence Fee payers.
I have not problem with this application using Flash. It runs just fine on my phone.
If you look at the comments on the bbc blog and http://www.androiduknewsetc.com and other places you will see that not everyone is happy with the fact myplayer was forced to shut down though you can still get hold of it.
It is a big shame that the BBC version is wifi and android 2.2 dependant.
I knew it! Damn! UK only. Hmm, what happens if I go to the UK and install the app while I’m there? Will it still work when I get back to the US? Is it SIM dependent?
Frankly not worth the wait, does very little that the mobile website doesn’t do already and whats the point of a Radio app which closes if you open anything else? Back to Tunein for radio then…
as for the reliance on Flash, frankly it is beneath them
A plus for you guys in the states, Iplayer launches as a subscription service later this year, maybe they will offer a better app for you…
@Chimphappyhour: It will probably use the IP you are using to use the app. (so many uses for use :D)
There will be an apk out there, or i’m sure MarketAccess will work to change your region.
It’s pretty much a complete fail on the BBC’s behalf anyway, what exactly can it do that the browser can’t?
The conspiracy theorist in me is thinking that Apple have somehow convinced the BBC to not release the streams for Android to ensure they have a better user experience….
The realist in me just expects that its a DRM driven decision.
Conspiracy theorists, get a grip. It is not the BBC’s fault that it took Adobe until last summer to finally get Flash working (sort of) on Android. It is not the BBC’s fault that Google gladly accepted it anyway. It is not the BBC’s fault that certain manufacturers have done such an atrocious job of providing Android updates to their customers.
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Flash is there and available to them. If it was the quickest and cheapest route to getting this app done, it should be no surprise they used it.
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The tough part of Apple’s principled anti-Flash stance is no Flash. The good part is no Flash. I’ve always been ambivalent about Android’s more pragmatic stance. Here’s a perfect example of why.
If anyone could upload the .apk and share the link for us US folk that would be great
Share the LOVE, I want this app in the USA!!!
I got the APK from XDA and it still wont work in the US. Installs but wont play. Says BBC Iplayer is only available in the UK
too bad it’s for UK only….
If the app is anything like the website it won’t work from a non UK ip address. BBC is releasing an international version that non UK ip address will be able to pay to have access to. My understanding is that BBC funded by everyone who lives in the UK through a yearly license fee which makes the programing commercial free.
Yay…nothin like top gear on my phone!
Why is this app not downloadable on my desire hd in the netherlands via t-mobile?
Damn you BBC!
justincase-UK only
hmmm i’d pay a few bucks for internation version, better not be subscription though
Guess I’ll stick to torrenting the episodes and watching on my phone.
It sucks that it isnt available outside the UK. As for the radio, my BBC Radio app still works fine. I wouldve really liked Top Gear on my phone like the person above mentioned. Oh well.
Dam uk only…. I was really hoping for some it crowd on my phone…
Maybe I should try turning it off and on again???
I would happily pay the standard bbc license fee to get full access to all content on phone, pc, googletv, etc. (usa)
I have a subscription to a proxy server in the UK. I was able to get on-demand BBC programs in the US by changing my proxy settings on my android phone and using skyfire browser to watch. The live stations still don’t work (possibly a bandwidth issue over 3G?). The skyfire browser is key to this working as it will re-encode flash video so it doesn’t use as much bandwidth. You might also need a small free android app to bring up the proxy settings screen, search for “HTTP Proxy Settings” in the android market. As for a proxy server, you can use a free one (if you can find one that works) or maybe try http://www.proxz.com which is what I’m using (of course, you can get full access to BBC and ITV including live stations from your desktop or laptop if you use this too!).
As for iplayer for android, I managed to find a copy, but even when using the proxy, I still received an error message saying I wasn’t in the UK so there must be some other method this app has to determine your location.