The BBC is preparing to launch its hugely popular iPlayer catch-up on-demand application for the iPhone and iPod Touch on a worldwide scale this Thursday.
The iPlayer app has, until now, been available in no fewer than 11 different Western European countries. Demand from many users around the world has resulted in the Beeb developing a paywall platform for the service, meaning that those in Australia and other countries will be able to watch BBC programming on their mobile devices at a cost.
On December 8th the app will go live, bringing the BBC’s popular catch up service to those in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Republic of Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Users will be able to download the BBC iPlayer app free of charge to an iPhone or iPod Touch, directly from the App Store.
Older programming will be missing from the global iPlayer app, with the BBC opting instead to fill the listings with their latest showings – making it a true catch-up service. New shows will be made available through the app hours after they air live in the UK, with access to each new show lasting for 30 days before it is removed. That’s plenty of time to catch that episode of Eastenders that you missed.
Have you been waiting for the BBC’s iPlayer app to reach your country for a long time? Let us know.
iPlayer will be making the leap to games consoles when it lands on the Xbox 360 early next year. Excited to get BBC catch-up on your console? Check out the full story here.
Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.