BBC says no to iPlayer for Windows Phone?

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

Say what? It was only Friday when we reported that Nokia had told The Inquirer that a BBC iPlayer app is on the way for Windows Phone, and should arrive within the next few weeks. Now we have Pocket-lint publishing an article stating otherwise with a response from the British corporation.

"BBC iPlayer is already on over 500 platforms and devices including Virgin Media, BT Vision, FreeSat, Freeview, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and hundreds of mobile phones, tablets and Internet-connected TVs,” said the BBC spokesman. We are always looking at new and existing platforms to bring BBC iPlayer to, but have no plans to launch a BBC iPlayer native app in Windows Phone Marketplace in the immediate future.”

We'd like to point out that we believe the above statement to be a template response, and shouldn't be taken as what's final on the status of such an app. It would be strange for Nokia to confirm that the BBC iPlayer is coming to Lumia Windows Phones when it isn't, especially since the manufacturer has been superb with public and developer relations thus far. But then again, anything can happen.

We've contacted the BBC and Nokia for more information. We'll update accordingly.

Source: Pocket-lint

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

42 Comments
  • They're too busy catering to Apple's every whim while maintaining the shite picture quality on their Android app.
  • Its ok, when apple has its next conference and the big change for ios 6 is 3D maps (woo hoo), folks like me who have been (former) iPhone faithful will jump ship to the windows phone for it amazing OS and phones.
  • The problem with your "theory" is that iOS has the highest brand loyalty and customer retention rate of any mobile OS right now. That's why as much as the carriers like to talk about cutting iPhone subsidies they won't - existing customers stick with the iPhone.
  • Hmmm might gave to add this to that list of things/companies to avoid once windows phone 8 and windows 8 explodes!!!
  • Oops... Have!! :)
  • Oops...if
  • I was expecting this - the story wasn't adequately sourced, but all the blogs (including Engadget) ran with it anyway when they shouldn't have.
  • To be fair the initial story - that the apps were under development - clearly wasn't adequately sourced either.
  • These companies are idiots not add windows phone. Who needs them. Maybe when wp 8 comes they probably crawl back to add it. If I was nokia or Microsoft I would just cut them out teach them a lesson and see how it feels be rejected. They can suck there tea
  • I think they mean it's not available to non-Lumia phones. Just my speculation.
  • This is a big disappointment if true. This app would have been beautiful on WP. These are the sort of apps we really need to have on this Platform. Its a big let down to be left out while so many other devices have it.
  • Time to revoltution, need a BBC tea Party ! Be patriot to WP !
  • Please no... Sick of all the tea party BS here in the states...
  • I second that!
  • Who needs player when Nokia has Nokia TV coming?
  • Right now, Nokia TV is only in Finland, and unfortunatly, there is a lot of people who dont have a Nokia WP (I have a LG Optimus 7 and I'm still waiting the Lumia 900 in my country (France), even if I would have the german model with 32Go of storage).
  • Is there a twitter for BBC player?
  • I want top gear!!
  • There is a Top Gear app! WPcentral made an article about it!
  • I think there's a top gear app coming
  • Not coming, already here.
  • Anybody can tell me plzz wer can i buy best skins for samsung omnia w
  • "Gelaskins" has an awesome collection just for your device and will even email you a matching image for your lock screen for free upon purchase of every artist designed skin! Simply hands down the best!!
  • You mean, apart from the fact that they don't MAKE a skin for the Omnia W?
  • Yeah well this is similar to when the Linkedin app was released. Linkedin employees when asked about support for the app replied with (in simple terms) sorry we do not have a Linkedin app for Windows Phone.
    I recon this is the same thing happening here. Not all staff are aware of the existance of the app within their company due to many of them not being informed or keeping up-to-date with current company plans. Bet they are on the ball with every update for iPhone or Android arent they!
  • They still don't even advertise Windows Phone for Linked In apps... =/
  • People in the UK, simply do as I do, and refuse to pay your TV license. It's 7 years since I last paid the bullying twats a penny (despite the bullying, threatening letters they send out, implying  [lying being the operate word] they are a summons to appear in court, which less savvy/vulnerable people will get very worried about), and they have been unable to do a thing about it. The consumer actually has a massive amount of rights to refuse entry etc, look into it. I refuse to bankroll the likes of Jonathan Ross and co on their millions of pounds each year. If they can earn it their vast sums of money somewhere else (Sky, ITV etc), then they should go and do it. This is the final straw, the BBC refusing to support the likes of Blackberry and Windows Phone, simply because they are up the arses of iShite (they only support Android due to volume, if they had their own way, they'd support only Apple products, because the BBC are the biggest Apple marketing machine known to man), then they go swivel once again for their license fee. People, take a stand and be counted!!
  • Don't need a license fee for iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD (superb), or Demand 5.
     
    The final straw for me was F1. The letters they send through are nothing short of bullying tactics.
  • Yes, acting the scrote and freeloading off the rest of us is the way forward. Lets none of us pay, and sit down and enjoy all the wonderful Natural History programs, free education websites, childrens BBC for our kids, advert free sport and films. Because they make them for free, don't they?
    Nice attitude. Do you want me to pay your taxes as well? Stand up and be counted? That's exactly what you're NOT doing.
     
  • Too right... Whilst I think they should support the app creation, it's not right to not pay tv license if you have a tv.
  • I'd like to add to this discussion that previously the BBC claimed there could not be an iPlayer app for WP7. The reasons given were that it doesn't support Flash (Android) or HLS - HTTP Layer Streaming (iPhone).
    This is their explanation for why it's on the other two OS's. http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/tablets/Windows_phone_app Can anyone confirm if WP7 is capable of HLS (as it's well known it doesn't currently support Flash)?
  • BBC B*tches Be Crazy
  • He's right, BBC B*tches really do be crazy!
  • I would absolutely write one myself if I wasn't sure I'd get some serious legal action for it...
  • I fking knew this bs would happen. Fuck the bbc
  • +1
  • This is why everyone needs to speak up and write/ email the BBC to get this app going.  We need to tell all the companies we use that we want apps for WP7.  Make your voices heard and bugger them until they listen. :)
     
    https://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/templates/bbciplayer/emailForms/emailPage
     
  • I seriously don't think they are even good enough to be on windows phone devices...personally I think that Microsoft could do a far better job of creating such an app or any one of our independent WP devs. And think we could benefit from a developer challenge or contest to see who could create a better alternative app...if anything to show them that the windows phone community could easily do without them and are not dependent on their cooperation in bringing their app over to our platform. I believe as long as we keep demanding them to do so, they will continue to deny us until they feel there is enough of us groveling at their feet for an app that honestly I can do without...but that's just me!
  • Sick of the rumors, sick of the hopes and dreams. I've never had an ios device or android but im getting tired of this shit.
  • Unfortunately, the success of WP7 rides on large apps like this either coming to the platform or not.
    Devs don't seem to want yet another platform to develop for - they would rather sit on the sidelines and see if it succeeds before investing time and money into development.  Don't like that fact, but it's just the way it is.
  • I'm more upset with no xfinity/Comcast and no hbogo apps. And probably won't be.
  • If Nokia promise is going to be available then so be it. Probably they've vigor out how to port it from their Nokia store.