“I am delighted that iPlayer will be coming to the new Apple TV in the coming months, helping to bring the BBC’s distinctive and loved content to an even wider audience”, commented BBC director-general Tony Hall.
Advertisement
The tweet from the BBC doesn’t reveal exactly when the app will arrive on Apple TV, simply saying it will be here in the coming months.
The new Apple TV box comes with a new tvOS operating system and a Siri-powered voice remote control, and is available to order now from the Apple store.
The catch-up app is not ready to launch alongside the revamped set top box when it goes on sale this week, but the broadcaster signalled it would be soon. This allows developers to create new software for Apple TV or extend apps from iPhone and iPad.
You can get the BBC iPlayer on the vast majority of connected media-playing devices these days, including Apple’s iOS family. Now that Apple’s new and vastly improved Apple TV is available to buy, the BBC has promised to supply an official iPlayer app.
Sadly then there is no hard and fast release schedule for the catchup service, but at least we know that it will definitely be making an appearance on the new box.
iPlayer was absent on earlier Apple TVs, despite the fact it is on other platforms including Amazon’s Fire TV, Roku, Google Chromecast, Sky’s Now TV box and several video game consoles.
So what do we want to see hitting the new Apple TV on this side of the pond? This will deliver access to content in the USA that would otherwise be unavailable.
Advertisement
Through a legal loophole the app, which already exists for iOS devices, broadcasts live United Kingdom channels, including BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC Three and BBC Four, as well as ITV 1 and Channel 4 and VIVA.
