Subject: Non iOS version of iPlayer and full access please!
From: Peter Jenkins
To: bbciplayer@bbc.com
Hi,
Why limit the global version of iPlayer to only Apple mobile devices?
When you tried to have a Windows only iPlayer the reaction was rightly very bad:
(in case your memory is short)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_iPlayer#Development
Here is the money quote from the BBC trust:
"the Trust noted the strong public demand for the service to be available on a variety of operating systems. The BBC Trust made it a condition of approval for the BBC's on-demand services that the iPlayer is available to users of a range of operating systems, and has given a commitment that it will ensure that the BBC meets this demand as soon as possible. They will measure the BBC's progress on this every six months and publish the findings"
Why did you think you could pull the same trick twice?
When the existing iPlayer service is web based and cross-platform, why did you make this new service closed and only on Apple hardware?
I have access to several computers at home (Apple Mac, Windows PC, Linux) and an Android phone - none of which can run this software so I'm forced to not pay for BBC content even though I would be happy to.
I really want to pay to support good quality BBC content, but currently can't. There are plenty of cheap services which allow me to watch the UK version of iPlayer without paying the BBC from my home in Finland.
For example, TVexpat is charging 30€ for 3 months access:
http://www.tvexpat.eu/subscribe
Of course, I'm not a UK resident, so can't pay the licence free even if I wanted to (I don't).
You must see you are missing a huge revenue opportunity by offering a closed software platform with a restricted range of programming locked to specific countries. With each week you delay resolving this mess more and more users will figure out services like TVExpat or use other means to view BBC content without paying. For example:
http://isohunt.com/torrents/Top+Gear?ext=&op=and
I think you'd be surprised how many people would pay for content if you make it possible to do so.
Cheers,
Pete.
