BBC iPlayer for iPhone
March 11th, 2008
I think Ryan made a really insightful post about the BBC’s launch of the iPlayer on the iPhone.
Also the iPhone is just one platform, the amount of linux based mobiles/pda’s/wifi devices outnumber the iPhone easily.
Is it just me that is rather annoyed that a portable device with lower user base than Linux Desktop, or even Linux based devices has recieved a version of the iPlayer first? Especially since this release has managed to stream mp4 and has allowed DRM to be circumvented using VLC and user agent switcher.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think the iPhone is a really innovative product and it’s great. But for the BBC to develop a version of iPlayer for a device which has a very small market penetration (and costs a minimum of £35 a month plus a few hundred quid for the device itself) but not a desktop operating system with a pretty decent market penetration is a disgrace.
Remember that the iPlayer was originally criticised for only working on Microsoft Windows - it effectively helped Microsoft compete in the desktop OS system by giving it a competitive advantage over other operating systems. The full iPlayer download service still only fully works on Microsoft Windows.
The BBC is funded by taxation. Surely it is a better use of public money to develop a service first for a desktop operating system (equalising the playing field in OS) rather than choosing a brand new and fashionable mobile phone which has a market share which pales in comparison to other video-enabled phones.
- Television , UK
- Comments(1)
There’s no story here.
iPlayer works on Linux. Now it works on iPhone and iPod touch.
Surely you would expect them to expand their available platforms?
Also I think you might be surprised just how many people now have an iPhone or iPod touch. I certainly know more of people with new apple gadgets than have a linux desktops, and I associate freely with the latter bunch of geeks.