BBC stops iPlayer downloads for PC and Mac

The BBC has ceased offering downloads of content via the BBC iPlayer service on PC and Mac computers, citing “the low number of people using it and the cost required to keep it going”.

The pubcaster said it had taken “the difficult decision” to close the downloads application for computers, but that viewers would continue to be able to stream programmes on BBC iPlayers on their PC or Mac.

The decision does not have any impact on the ability of iPlayer users to download programmes on the iPlayer mobile and tablet apps.

The pubcaster stopped making the BBC iPlayer Downloads App available on computers on February 2, and users will not longer be able to download programmes from the web from March 11.

Users with existing downloads will continue to be able to view them until April 8, after which the service will be shut down definitively.

The BBC has not revealed how many users the downloads service for computers currently has.