The BBC is changing the way Android phones and tablets stream its online video, introducing new playback tech that will go live with an update next week.
The new technology is called BBC Media Player, and is a reaction to Adobe's decision to ditch Flash support for Android Jelly Bean -- the latest version of Google's mobile operating system.
iPlayer used Flash to stream video, and it still is, but now it's doing so using Adobe Air, Auntie explains on her blog. The Beeb says it was constrained in its choice of playback options by a need to keep both current and existing Android devices compatible, and meet the security requirements rights holders demand.
The new player tech is already being used with the mobile view of the iPlayer website, the BBC says. The Media Player app is available to download now if you want to take a look -- it takes you to applications and websites that work with the new player. Meanwhile, the updated version of iPlayer that will use the new technology is coming next week.
No downloads yet
The BBC is at pains to inform Android phone owners that they're valued customers, having recently come under fire for unveiling downloads for offline viewing for iOS gadgets, but promising only that the feature would appear on Android "soon".
Sadly there's still no word of that much-anticipated feature, but fingers crossed it arrives before too long.
Do you use iPlayer on Android? Are there any features it's missing that you'd love to see? Tell me in the comments or on our platform-agnostic Facebook wall.
Image credit: BBC
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Comments 8
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anonymous 19 September, 2012 14:56
Not good enough. They could have easily used HLS which is very stable. There excuse is probably that HLS isn't supported on Android OS versions prior to Honeycomb. however, only a small minority use this. They could have used air for this small minority if they so with but phones this old probably wouldn't work that well with iplayer anyway. It's basically a band aid for the time being.
anonymous 19 September, 2012 15:29
>>There excuse is probably that HLS isn't supported on Android OS versions prior to Honeycomb. however, only a small minority use this
The vast majority of people (over 50%) are still using Gingerbread, which, unless I've got my alphabet mixed up, is "prior to Honeycomb" ... so this certainly isn't a "small minority"
anonymous 20 September, 2012 07:21
Try http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/iplayer/tv
my blog playerat.com
anonymous 22 September, 2012 01:35
The bbc is boring with its channels and programmes and the terrible licence fee should be scrapped (retro dictatorship of television).UK people have to pay lots of money to have a "tv licence" to be allowed to own a tele! and now the programmes are being shown all around the world on iplayer.So cheap and nasty.
arphone1 23 September, 2012 07:59
It would be very useful to get this working. I have a nexus 7 and other androids running jellybean and not having the iPlayer working on them is a real pain. There's some great content on the BBC (which the BBC site won't let me access from abroad, unless I pay for the content).
Android's strength is its ability to be configured, and that is helping with the development of the user experience. However, Android's poorer/more convoluted security set up, and diversity in versions is a pain for anyone wanting to secure their content.
anonymous 29 October, 2012 23:19
hi i have a Samsung galaxy ace and it will not let me install flash player adobe so i tried Bbe media player for android however it was still saying your divice isant campatable with this app i can't watch i player or 40d any help please
anonymous 28 November, 2012 23:50
Still no help from the BBC for Android users.
KristySue 21 December, 2012 04:31
Sharing about the new technology of the BBC media player.Keep update more things in the blog.Thanks for sharing.
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