iPlayer may join Apple film rentals, says BBC Director

January 18, 2008 – The relaunch of AppleTV and introduction of a film rental model on iTunes may mean that iPlayer content can join the platform, according to Ashley Highfield, the BBC’s Director of Future Media and Technology.

Writing on his BBC blog, Mr. Highfield says: “We can look to getting iPlayer onto this platform too, as we should be able to use the rental functionality to allow our programmes to be downloaded, free, but retained for a time window, and then erased, as our rightsholders currently insist.”  The announcement by Apple CEO Steve Jobs that “AppleTV take two” will not require a computer is described by Mr. Highfield as “encouraging”.

The BBC Director goes on to suggest that IPTV solutions should pass the “can my Mum do it?” test, adding that working with, rather than against, the existing set-up in a typical home is “probably the quickest route to mass-market adoption of IP-delivered TV”.