Camiloo BBC iPlayer app will bring TV downloads to iPhone

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Ability to watch TV programmes offline via third party iPhone app

A native Apple iPhone and iPod touch, and potentially iPad application aims to give easier access to the BBC's popular online iPlayer catch-up TV service including the ability to download programmes.

iPhone developer Camiloo, has unveiled a new content browser for BBC iPlayer. According to the makers, Rewat.ch will allow users to browse all BBC iPlayer RSS feeds from a simple user interface on their iPhone or iPod touch.

Users will then be able to opt to browse by channel, day, programme genre, and by the first letter of the programme name or by a search term.

Rewat.ch will also enable users to download episodes from the BBC iPlayer service for the length of time set by the BBC. This means that for the first time it will be possible to watch BBC shows on the way to work, for example, without downloading from unofficial sources.

Rewat.ch will cost £1.19 at launch. Camiloo hope to license the technology to other broadcasters, so that content can be enjoyed by iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users. While the BBC has used images of a native iPhone BBC iPlayer for promotional materials, the mock-ups have yet to ever see the light of day.

"Rewat.ch is more than just BBC iPlayer on the iPhone however. It is a project which plans to create technology that can be licensed to other broadcasters, enabling them to offer content to iPhone users without compromising on security," Camiloo said.

"The system currently uses the native iPhone streams published by the BBC on its website, but work is well underway to create a system capable of reading the ‘RTMP’ video streams used by broadcasters around the world to serve content to web based flash VOD services such as 4OD and ITVPlayer."

Due to copyright restrictions, the application will only work within the UK and requires a Wi-fi connection to browse content. The application is not sponsored or supported by the BBC.

Camiloo is a software development company based in Manchester. Rewat.ch is expected to be available on the Apple iTunes App Store shortly.