'With mobile downloads for BBC iPlayer, you can now load up your mobile phone or tablet with hours and hours of BBC television programmes, then watch them on the road, on the tube, on a plane, without worrying about having an internet connection or running up a mobile data bill,' said Daniel Danker, the general manager of BBC programmes on-demand. The corporation said that there were 30 million requests for BBC TV programming on mobiles or tablets in July, up an impressive 142% year-on-year. The programme will automatically start downloading once the user connects to WiFi, and multiple shows can be downloaded at the same time.Īccording to the BBC, the download launch is about moving the nearly 5-year-old iPlayer 'beyond the PC' and further onto mobile, tablet and other internet-connected devices. Users access the feature by tapping the download option on programmes they want to save, prompting it to be added to a download queue.

The new downloads feature is initially available on Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, but will expand to Android devices 'soon'. Once the user has pressed play, they can keep watching the content for seven more days. Programme downloads from the UK can be stored on a tablet or smartphone for up to 30 days. This opens up new options for people, such as storing a programme to watch while on the Underground, or downloading a batch of BBC content to view while away on holiday.

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