New iPlayer app launches on PS3

Diehard doctor who fans have grown used to catch up on the latest episode of your favorite program on your smartphone or iPad. But most viewers are prepared to barter their smartphone to the living room BBC as TV predicts iPlayer will dominate the computer experiences within three years.

The BBC on Monday launched a new version of iPlayer for TV, in a fresh attempt to woo an older generation of viewers.

App – launch originally on Sony Playstation 3 game console, which has run the browser-based version of iPlayer since 2008 – has been built from scratch and contains new features such as Viewer recommendations.

Daniel Danker, the BBC's general manager of the programmes and on the demand, saying that the iPlayer viewing on the Internet-connected TVs increased five fold in six months to July, reaching 3.1 m program requests a month.

"We are going beyond tech-support people. We make iPlayer easier to use for the general audience, "said Danker. "With today's announcement, we transform the iPlayer in its most natural home."

He said the BBC aims to increase the iPlayer viewing among the over 35s, bringing its catch-up audience broadly in line with the traditional BBC demographics.

BBC fans made 157 m program requests on iPlayer in June – an increase of 34% over the same month last year, according to figures released last week.

The service's catch-up iPad app, which was launched in February and is set to reach 1 m week in coming days. About a third of iPad stream owners in the United Kingdom live TV on their device, as Danker attributes entirely to the iPlayer.

The BBC is also set to unveil a series of design changes to the online iPlayer, including a potential Move away from its distinctive black and pink appearance.

Asked about the color change, Danker said: "I'm not religious about colors … There will be a development in appearance — but it is Evolutionary not revolutionary. "

Most of the Corporation television and radio content to online – like channels, programs, TV guide and archives – be brought under iPlayer umbrella in the coming years.

Ofcom under said last week that one in ten new TVs (about 1 m) bought last year was internet connection – with an average viewing time increases to four hours a day.

According to forecasts, almost 36 m new generation TVs will be installed in British homes in 2016.

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iPlayer app will cost less than $ 10 per month

International BBC iPlayer iPad app will cost less than $ 10 (£ 6.13) a month, when it starts later in the year, according to Director General Mark Thompson.

He said the global version of corporation's catch-up online service for iPads will launch "final years", adding that it will cost, "a small number of dollars per month, absolute fewer than 10". International iPlayer iPad app also gives subscribers access BBC archive for programming.

Speech at FT digital media and television Conference in London on Wednesday, Thompson added: "we are exploring internationally what the right prices and models is ... the most important thing is the consumer pricing is right".

He said, iPlayer app allows the BBC to "sell directly to consumers" without showing be relaunched or reformated, which often happens when UK shows purchased by international broadcasters.

When asked what effect Iplayer's international launch will have on the business model of the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, Thompson said corporation after in Hollywood's footprints and "look at a number of windows", shows that "optimize value throughout the life cycle".

International rights windows for films and television programs typically means they are only available on DVD and broadcast and online pay-per-view services, followed by subscription and free-to-air TV.

He also said he wants tv, mobile phone companies and the Government to get together to create a "roadmap" for mobile tv.

"I think that there are strong arguments for United Kingdom television, mobile phone operators and Ofcom under the Government to meet to develop a roadmap for the introduction of mobile TV in this country," added Thompson.

"It would be complementary to the availability of television content on demand, whether streamed or cached on the device and would enable the public to access time-critical content – news, major sports events and so forth – regardless of where they are."

Speaking afterwards he said no meetings are planned, but he believes that the process should be rocken.

Thompson added that confounding convergence predictions made five years ago, TV view has actually increased in the period.

In January was 162 m programs – an average of six per household – also available for download via the iPlayer in the UK.

"The greatest month for month growth now is not on personal computers or cable-tv, but on iPads, iPhones and other smartphones and game consoles."

Thompson added: "people have always seen less TV as they move through adolescence and early adulthood with their consumption of then rising with age."

But he warned that "there is good evidence that this dip becomes sharper."

His figures showed viewers born in the 1960s and 1970s when they were filled 10 monitored around 21 hours a week of tv for total television, compared with 16 hours per week for those born in 1995.

Thompson said: "the questions that we do not yet have an answer as to whether they are even younger cohort-those who grow up in a completely digital world – will follow this pattern and come back to these very high levels of view as they grow older. Or whether there will be a permanent shift downward in future consumption. "

He reiterated that "the BBC will never retreat from delivering news online".

Thompson excluded Corporation to launch a social network but said it was in talks with Facebook and said that YouTube has been a great environment for "sampling" and "marketing" of BBC programming.

He warned the simplicity that key, adding "even though lots of televisions manufactured with IPTV", "almost no one connected to them ... no sheep page 26 or whatever of the instructions!".

Thompson concluded: "the challenge for us now ... should concentrate on quality, value and memorability of our content, not just in tv but across our services.

"Science on BBC1 with Bang goes the theory, last week he particularly in Libya, Proms as last year reached 18 million people in the United Kingdom on the BBC tv over the season. It is our direction of travel. "

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