The tiring thing about Apple TV it remains so US centric with it's various channel additions.. Why can't they add BBC iplayer for a start? Oh yea, because it's almost too good!
Because the BBC wants to restrict access to their content to Brits (and probably to Brits who have TV licenses)?
Actually, the BBC has a version of iPlayer available to people outside the UK on iOS, called iPlayer Global. For an annual subscription, you get access to selected bits of the BBC back catalogue (and some itv and Channel 4 stuff as well, based on BBC Global's rights deals). No reason this couldn't be made available to people outside the UK on Apple TV, and the domestic iPlayer in the UK. Although, being able to play BBC Radio programmes through your stereo could also be appealing (this isn't restricted on iPlayer at all).
1) They do it for the many US centric channels!
2) BBC iPlayer is available on other set top boxes so i don't think it's a BBC side issue.
<span style="line-height:1.4em;">3) Just like with the (UK version of) iPlayer on the iPad and iPhone too - It's available on the UK store only. Sure some people will use VPN and set up a UK account, but I can't see why Apple can't give the BBC a space for UK registered accounts. </span>
I suspect it's more to do with the fact that BBC iPlayer already provides a pretty impressive catch up service which Apple will want to showcase in its next-gem Apple TV, when other providers have 'caught up'
I would like to see the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) catch up apps on the Apple TV as well. Hopefully they will do something about this soon, with either an App Store, or just more localisation.
Foreign video and TV licensing deals is something that Apple does not have control over.
Except they already do, with the iTunes stores in foreign countries. Plus, they don't have to, if they let the BBC or other broadcaster manage the licences and just give them an app on the Apple TV. (See the BBC Global iPlayer app for iOS - Apple don't have anything to do with the rights on that, it's all managed by the BBC.)
Curious- what competition does apple have internationally? Isn't Roku almost strictly US as well?
You can get the Roku here, and I believe in Britain as well. I think they even let the local TV networks put their catchup apps on it. I also have a DVR that has the ABC iView and SBS On Demand on it (but the interface sucks, having them on Apple TV would be an improvement).
Meanwhile, my Apple TV has NHL and MLB on it. I have no use for either of these. I'd watch Willow TV, but it's not available here.
Actually, the BBC has a version of iPlayer available to people outside the UK on iOS, called iPlayer Global. For an annual subscription, you get access to selected bits of the BBC back catalogue (and some itv and Channel 4 stuff as well, based on BBC Global's rights deals).
You're quite right - a Global version does exist - and used it when i was living in Brussels, I paid for it. but it's not really the same in terms of scope. It's mainly , though by no means exclusively, 'archive' type stuff. The UK version has practically everything on catch up and includes watching the channels live.
You're quite right - a Global version does exist - and used it when i was living in Brussels, I paid for it. but it's not really the same in terms of scope. It's mainly , though by no means exclusively, 'archive' type stuff. The UK version has practically everything on catch up and includes watching the channels live.
It's not the same as the domestic version, no. I think I even mentioned that. (I'll admit I didn't mention that they are actually different apps on iOS, although there's no reason they couldn't be the same app with some tweaking.) However, that wasn't my point. My points were:
1. The BBC iPlayer platform is available outside the UK, in contrast to (eg) Hulu plus being US only, and has benefits for people without needing a VPN or other workaround;
2. Apple does not have to worry about international rights deals in order to make it available, as the BBC manages that itself (the content available varies country to country, depending on local distribution rights), Apple just make the app available;
3. Even if 2 were not the case, Apple already negotiates international rights through its subsidiaries in other countries, and any such rights would be managed the same way.
In addition, I'll add
4. The apps available on Apple TV are already geo-fenced - while we do get NHL, MLB, and other US Sports Initialisms, we don't get Willow TV, presumably because they only have rights in North America, nor do we get ABC News, presumably for similar reasons;
5. We don't currently get any local content beyond the content of the iTunes Store which, like the content in the Global BBC iPlayer, is not managed on the device, but externally.
So most of the objections to Apple making local Catch Up or other streaming services apps available that have been aired on this thread are void. The only reason they haven't done it, as far as I can see, is that they haven't opened it up to outside developers. Although, even with Apple's developer resources being limited, I'd have thought they'd want to work with one of the biggest TV networks and distribution services in the World, especially when the iPlayer Global subscription is paid through the App Store, and so they get their 30% cut.
Still, even with these limitations, the Apple TV is much more useful as a media device than the Amazon Fire range, which can't even offer Amazon Instant Video outside the US. Or my Chromecast which can't even connect to a WiFi network with a hidden SSID (despite saying it can in the user guide - I should probably talk to someone about that). Or even my DVR which has a crappier interface than the Apple TV, and times out when I try to enter my WiFi password.
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Actually, the BBC has a version of iPlayer available to people outside the UK on iOS, called iPlayer Global. For an annual subscription, you get access to selected bits of the BBC back catalogue (and some itv and Channel 4 stuff as well, based on BBC Global's rights deals). No reason this couldn't be made available to people outside the UK on Apple TV, and the domestic iPlayer in the UK. Although, being able to play BBC Radio programmes through your stereo could also be appealing (this isn't restricted on iPlayer at all).
I would like to see the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) catch up apps on the Apple TV as well. Hopefully they will do something about this soon, with either an App Store, or just more localisation.
Except they already do, with the iTunes stores in foreign countries. Plus, they don't have to, if they let the BBC or other broadcaster manage the licences and just give them an app on the Apple TV. (See the BBC Global iPlayer app for iOS - Apple don't have anything to do with the rights on that, it's all managed by the BBC.)
You can get the Roku here, and I believe in Britain as well. I think they even let the local TV networks put their catchup apps on it. I also have a DVR that has the ABC iView and SBS On Demand on it (but the interface sucks, having them on Apple TV would be an improvement).
Meanwhile, my Apple TV has NHL and MLB on it. I have no use for either of these. I'd watch Willow TV, but it's not available here.
Actually, the BBC has a version of iPlayer available to people outside the UK on iOS, called iPlayer Global. For an annual subscription, you get access to selected bits of the BBC back catalogue (and some itv and Channel 4 stuff as well, based on BBC Global's rights deals).
You're quite right - a Global version does exist - and used it when i was living in Brussels, I paid for it. but it's not really the same in terms of scope. It's mainly , though by no means exclusively, 'archive' type stuff. The UK version has practically everything on catch up and includes watching the channels live.
1. The BBC iPlayer platform is available outside the UK, in contrast to (eg) Hulu plus being US only, and has benefits for people without needing a VPN or other workaround;
2. Apple does not have to worry about international rights deals in order to make it available, as the BBC manages that itself (the content available varies country to country, depending on local distribution rights), Apple just make the app available;
3. Even if 2 were not the case, Apple already negotiates international rights through its subsidiaries in other countries, and any such rights would be managed the same way.
In addition, I'll add
4. The apps available on Apple TV are already geo-fenced - while we do get NHL, MLB, and other US Sports Initialisms, we don't get Willow TV, presumably because they only have rights in North America, nor do we get ABC News, presumably for similar reasons;
5. We don't currently get any local content beyond the content of the iTunes Store which, like the content in the Global BBC iPlayer, is not managed on the device, but externally.
So most of the objections to Apple making local Catch Up or other streaming services apps available that have been aired on this thread are void. The only reason they haven't done it, as far as I can see, is that they haven't opened it up to outside developers. Although, even with Apple's developer resources being limited, I'd have thought they'd want to work with one of the biggest TV networks and distribution services in the World, especially when the iPlayer Global subscription is paid through the App Store, and so they get their 30% cut.
Still, even with these limitations, the Apple TV is much more useful as a media device than the Amazon Fire range, which can't even offer Amazon Instant Video outside the US. Or my Chromecast which can't even connect to a WiFi network with a hidden SSID (despite saying it can in the user guide - I should probably talk to someone about that). Or even my DVR which has a crappier interface than the Apple TV, and times out when I try to enter my WiFi password.