Some users of BBC iPlayer have found that they are no longer able to access their downloaded content as of April 8. The BBC announced in February that it would be shutting down its iPlayer Downloads application for PC and Mac due to low usage and the high cost of maintenance. This closure has been phased out over the past few months, with new installations being stopped in February and new downloads being blocked in March. Now, all existing downloads are being blocked from playback and the app is closing for good. This change only affects the app for PCs, not the BBC’s mobile apps, which are still operational.
Users who have content downloaded onto their PC are advised to watch it before it becomes inaccessible. The timeline of the iPlayer closure includes new users being unable to install the app in February, the block on downloading programs from the web in March, and the final shutdown of the app on April 8. This closure does not apply to the BBC’s mobile and tablet apps, which will continue to allow viewers to stream programs on their devices. Windows PCs and Apple computers are the devices affected by this change.
A common Wi-Fi router error is causing slow broadband speeds for many users. Sky has released a rare deal on a MacBook Air that is surprisingly affordable. For users of BBC iPlayer, the shutdown of the Downloads application for PC and Mac may affect their ability to access downloaded content. It is recommended that users watch any downloaded content before the app closes for good on April 8. Despite this change, viewers will still be able to stream programs through the BBC iPlayer web browsers on their PCs and Macs. The closure of the iPlayer Downloads app will not impact the BBC’s mobile apps.
