BBC I Player

BBC I Player

BBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an internet television and radio service and software application, developed by the BBC to extend its former RealPlayer-based and other streamed video clip content to include whole TV shows.

BBC Redux was developed as a proof of concept for a cross-platform, Flash video-based streaming system. BBC iPlayer left beta and went live on 25 December 2007. On 25 June 2008, a new-look iPlayer was launched, originally as a beta-test version alongside the earlier version. The site tagline was "Catch up on the last 7 days of BBC TV & Radio", reflecting that programmes were unavailable on iPlayer after this time (with some exceptions). The BBC state on their website that this is due to copyright reasons. The marketing slogan was later changed to "Making the unmissable, unmissable". In May 2010 the site was updated again, to include a recommendations feature and a "social makeover".

In February 2011, the BBC iPlayer was once again modified to include links to programmes from other broadcasters, including; ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, Channel 4, E4, More 4, Film 4, Channel 5, 5*, 5USA and S4C. The feature was added to the search function and the channels function. When a user clicks on a programme by another broadcaster, they are redirected to the relevant broadcaster's catch up service (either the ITV Player, 4OD or Demand 5).

Specific applications for mobile platforms were launched in February 2011. These were initially for iOS and Android devices, where the launch would have the biggest impact.