BBC Worldwide has released its BBC iPlayer Global Edition for Canadian users, continuing the worldwide rollout of its video-on-demand service which began last summer with fourteen European countries and then to Australia in September. The free BBC iPlayer app provides an on-demand selection of classic and contemporary British television shows including such popular titles as Doctor Who, Top Gear and The Naked Chef. Users can enjoy selected clips and taster episodes for free or subscribe to a full unlimited package for $9/month or $85/year.
In addition to providing streaming video-on-demand over Wi-Fi or 3G, the BBC iPlayer app also allows users to download shows for offline viewing within the application; downloads do not have a specific expiry—they are retained on the device for as long as the user’s subscription is valid and the episode is otherwise available online. The BBC iPlayer app also includes a parental controls feature to lock out content that may not be suitable for younger viewers in their household. BBC iPlayer Global is currently available from the App Store in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Australia and Canada.
A U.S. release is said to be coming later this year. [via The Globe and Mail]
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