After it was controversially launched in beta form for Windows-based PCs only last year, a version of the BBC iPlayer application that enables Mac users to download TV programmes from the web will be launched this year.

Mac owners can currently stream BBC programmes over the web using the iPlayer application but they cannot currently download them to watch at their leisure.

The BBC director general, Mark Thompson, wrote in a blog entry that though he had received a lot of positive feedback since the iPlayer was officially launched on Christmas Day, there was still a lot of criticism for a lack of Mac and Linux compatibility.

"Contrary to what some believe - the BBC actually works hard to provide internet services on a "platform agnostic" basis. However, the issue of download of programmes to Mac and other platforms has always been a more complex issue for technical and rights reasons," Thompson said.

However, it seems that the BBC has overcome the difficulties, which centred on having an adequate system to protect content from being copied and redistributed illegally, and will be able to launch a Mac-compatible download application some time this year, though he did not specify exactly when.

"Work is still ongoing, but I am happy to be able to confirm here that we are aiming to launch a download version of BBC iPlayer for Mac this year," he said, adding that the download application was now compatible with Firefox as well as Internet Explorer.

Thompson explained why the BBC had elected to launch a beta version of the download platform for Windows only last summer.

"At the time of the development of the BBC iPlayer, the BBC was forced to choose between offering the service to a majority of users immediately - or to not offer catchup TV over the internet until full platform neutrality could be achieved. We chose to begin by serving the greatest number of licence-fee payers possible, and to follow up on that work to extend the service to other operating systems at the earliest opportunity," he said.

A recent report found that the iPlayer was having a significant effect on the web TV market in the UK.

www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet

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