BBC to launch iPlayer app on new Apple TV

The new Apple TV box

The BBC has confirmed that it will launch an iPlayer app for the new Apple TV streaming device “in the coming months”.

The iPlayer is not a launch partner for the new Apple TV box, and was not available on the previous generation model of the device, though BBC director general Tony Hall said the rollout will help widen the iPlayer’s reach.

“Available on over 10,000 devices, BBC iPlayer is one of the biggest and best on-demand video services in the world, and has transformed how UK audiences watch programmes online,” said Hall.

“I am delighted that iPlayer will be coming to the new Apple TV in the coming months, helping to bring the BBC’s distinctive and loved content to an even wider audience.”

The iPlayer is already available on a range devices that compete with Apple TV, including Amazon’s Fire TV, Roku, Google Chromecast, Sky’s Now TV box and a number of games consoles.

Apple started taking orders for the new Apple TV, and will also start shipping it, this week. Speaking on Apple’s fiscal fourth quarter earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said the device had a “huge first day”.

Apple unveiled its next generation Apple TV device in September. The new box will run on the new tvOS operating system, based on Apple’s iOS, and also features a new touch-surface remote control with built-in Siri voice commands.

Last week, BBC News and Sky’s Sky News were both launch partners for the new Apple News service.

The Apple News app, which is already available in the US, will include the BBC News app as part of a six month trial that will assess how users consume news inside an aggregation service alongside content from other publishers, and how that will impact their consumption of news from the BBC.