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Leader: Why the BBC must do more with iPlayer
A cross platform streaming service is only going so far...

By silicon.com

Published: Friday 19 October 2007

The BBC is in the process of developing a video streaming version of iPlayer, its online on-demand TV service, for both Windows XP and non-XP platforms.

iPlayer is currently only available as a download service for Windows XP, despite the BBC saying it's committed to "universality" and that developing the service for Macs and Vista is "absolutely on our critical path".

So will a streaming service be enough to placate critics - such as the Open Source Consortium or the 16,000 people who signed a Downing Street e-petition on the issue?

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These groups have been outspoken about the way only XP users can currently get iPlayer - and that the BBC is unable to say when it will be available to other OS.

The BBC estimates less then three per cent of computer users in the UK are Mac users although figures for Linux aren't given.

That by the end of the year, Linux and Mac users will be able to stream iPlayer content onto their machines is certainly a positive step, but you get the feeling critics still won't be happy.

To truly satisfy critics of iPlayer, the Beeb is going to have to go further, as the download element of the service is what makes the iPlayer such a tempting proposition.

And the development of an iPlayer download service for non-XP users also seems to be far from a foregone conclusion, with the the corporation planning to look at the rates of adoption for the streaming service for XP and other platforms before making a decision.

A BBC spokeswoman told silicon.com: "We're not making any final decision until we've got both [XP and non-XP streaming services] up and running."

It will be interesting to see what the critics make of this latest twist in the iPlayer saga but it wouldn't be surprising if they continue to express their disapproval.

If Auntie is going to keep everyone happy, it will have to develop a full iPlayer service for all platforms, rather than the half way house it is currently offering. Rich media services such a video are what broadband is made for and it would seem a shame to exclude a chunk of the audience simply because of the operating system they choose.