iPlayer console use surges

The BBC has revealed that one in eight people logging onto its popular IPTV service iPlayer are now doing so through either the PS3 or Wii, with console usage jumping 74 per cent between November and December.

2009 was a big year for iPlayer, with December brining the total number of programme requests on the service in one month to 100m – the highest it has ever seen.

Breaking the 100m barrier is a great way to kick off 2010 and these figures show that by offering simple and varied access to BBC iPlayer people are really finding it easy to catch up with their favourite programmes at a time that suits them,” BBC’s director of future media and technology Erik Huggers stated.

I expect more people to start using the service as we continue to make it more widely available and I’m looking forward to some of the new innovations we have coming to the service later on in the year.”

The iPlayer is currently only available on PS3 and Wii. Sony’s implementation of the service has received special praise from the BBC for the picture quality it offers, while the Wii recently introduced a dedicated iPlayer channel on its UI.

Xbox 360 is currently the only current-gen home console without iPlayer access – a problem that seemingly stems from the fact that Xbox Live is a paid-for service, something that conflicts with the BBC’s public service remit.