This is slightly old news to those of you on the BLEEDING EDGE of Android, but if you’re in possession of a phone upgraded to Android 2.2 and loaded with the final version of the Flash Player, you’ll be automatically redirected to the BBC’s hot new mobile version of the iPlayer site.
So we thought we’d take a look at how iPlayer operates on Android. The novelty of taking screenshots of stuff on our phone still hasn’t worn off.
So there it is. Android iPlayer operates entirely within the web browser, as you’d expect, along with an impressively comprehensive collection of options – adding shows to your Favourites lists, sorting and searching by channel and day, and much more. It offers all the functionality of the desktop version.
You’re able to watch shows in this miniaturised picture format, with a bit more information around the edges. Handy if you’re the modern sort who finds it impossible to concentrate on one particular thing for more than three seconds at a time. And if you’re watching TV on your phone, that’s likely to be the case.
The Favourites tag works, as in it remembers your favourites between web sessions (we turned our Desire off and on again to check this…). It’s a shame there are no super-hardcore options to tweak picture quality manually dependent on connection speed and phone processor power, though, as that’d keep Android users well happy.
Rotate the phone and the view scales up a little more. At this resolution, picture quality is still great – plus the player skips quickly through shows with pretty much nothing in the way of buffering. Of course we’re reviewing this when connected via wi-fi – that’s a compulsory requirement.
This is what you see when accessing iPlayer via the mobile network. It won’t work for most of you, unless you’re on Three or Vodafone and sitting on a picnic blanket right beneath a 3G mobile mast on a sunny day.
When zoomed to full screen, picture quality is not so hot. It’s pixelated. Not as bad as watching standard definition broadcast TV scaled up on an HDTV, but not super-sharp either. The BBC is pushing out a special 400kbps stream for us mobile users.
The only issue we have is the size of that pause button – it’s minuscule. And shoved away at the unresponsive corner of the screen. You’ll be in trouble if you have to perform an ‘Emergency Pause’.
Although it all takes place within the Android browser, BBC’s Android iPlayer is a surprisingly app-like experience. Everything’s simple, uniform, and quick.
Kirsty Wark must’ve doubled her salary since the launch of BBC4. She’s on everything.
Oh, and it also does radio. We’re running out of things to talk about, so best stop. It’s a great, great app. If you’re not yet running Android 2.2 it’s certainly something to look forward to.
It’s smooth to use, the 1080p display is sharp, clear and bright, the device is extremely light and thin and therefore very pocketable and portable — much more so than other 5-inch phones we’ve used. And yet… we’re a bit unimpressed by the overall package…
A relatively high-spec smartphone, with a 4.5″ display running at 480 x 854 resolution and powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, plus the Ascend G510 arrives running Android 4.1.1 — albeit potentially hindered by Huawei only sticking 512MB of RAM inside it..
The Panasonic Eluga marks the company’s return to the European mobile phone scene years after several years of absence, and it’s come back to us with a moderately high-spec Android model that features a rather stylish, slim case.
Sony returns with an all-new mobile design for 2012, pairing a dual-core processor with a 720p display. It’s a lovely phone, but is it enough to end our Samsung and HTC obsession?
LG’s updated Prada phone comes with an absolutely crazy black & white theme, but is it just for fashionable suit wearers who want to make themselves look a bit more interesting?
Brian
/ August 21, 2010Hmm, no download option?
iPlayer downloader+rockplayer=win
Silencer
/ August 21, 2010I am looking forward to this as the Beebplayer on my Desire is okay but lacks the video quality.
Now I just need to wait for Froyo in September.
Arivind
/ August 21, 2010Well I just went to the site on my Froyo enabled Nexus One complete with Flash only to be told my phone is not supported.
Seriously?
/ August 23, 2010So let me get this straight…I can download iplayer programs on my 18 month old Nokia 5800, but I can’t on the latest and greatest Froyo enabled HTC phone?
It’s progress, Jim, but not as we know it.
John
/ August 26, 2010It is somewhat bizarre the official iplayer app doesn’t allow you to download on android 2.2, but 3rd party apps such as MyPlayer allow downloading, streaming and catchup over wifi or 3G for free on Android 2.1 (and below for all I know). Nokia faviouritism, I say.
Stephen
/ October 23, 2010Just got a new desire (2.2 & 10.1). With good wifi the iplayer site on the integrated browser & opera5.1 is nice. The flash streaming is smooth & navigation easy. With the option to stream fullscreen @ 800×480 it’s a good experience!
One for the bookmarks.
S
Carl
/ November 8, 2010I have the HTC Desire HD – downloaded the latest version of Flash and am not able to access the BBC iPlayer mobile site – I have no bother accessing the full, Desktop website but it is not as finger friendly as the mobile version…How did you get access to the mobile version?
Charlotte
/ November 9, 2010http://bbc.co.uk/iplayer/ worked for me , it ended up on http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/iplayer. Hope it helps.
Carl
/ November 10, 2010Thanks – If i go to the full desktop site – ie: http://bbc.co.uk/iplayer/, then that is where it ends up. So i can get iPlayer fine. However, only the desktop version…it does not default to the mobile site and if I put the mobile site in the browser : http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/iplayer, it tells me the phone is not supported…Strange…
Carl
/ November 11, 2010sorted – if the browser option is set to default to full desktop sites as opposed to mobile sites, the iplayer mobile site wont work. If you uncheck this setting and go to the iplayer mobile site, it works fine…that said, the video quality seems better on the desktop site so i may stick to using that although it is a bit fiddly even with a large screen!
peer
/ December 7, 2010hi, can you explain how to set up the browser please?
nicevans
/ December 28, 2010Why no downloads? Why oh why? Myplayer just updated itself and took out the best app.