BBC unveils latest iPlayer with links to social networks and rival VoD players

The BBC has released an updated version of the iPlayer with links to social networks Twitter and Facebook.

The latest version of the iPlayer also offers links to other video-on-demand players such as ITV’s ITV Player and Channel 4’s 4OD.

The new version, which goes live in a beta testing format today, will see the channel icons of rival broadcasters appear in the iPlayer’s EPG alongside the BBC’s own TV services.

Users will also have the option to link to a rival players if their programme search isn’t available on the iPlayer – such as “Coronation Street”, for example.

The BBC has signed deals with ITV, Channel 4, Five, S4C and SeeSaw to link the products with the iPlayer, although the deals will not include sharing content or technology.  BSkyB’s Sky Player will not be listed as a commercial partner on the iPlayer.

The upgraded iPlayer will also allow users to recommend programmes to their friends via Facebook and Twitter once they’ve logged into the BBC website.

The corporation already has more than one million users signed up to the BBC’s own website ID service, which can be used to post comments about the iPlayer.  However, the BBC was keen to stress that the BBC iPlayer will not turn in to a social network.

Erik Huggers, director of future, media and technology at the BBC, said: “Does the BBC need to build its own social network? I think the answer is no. We want to integrate with other services.”

In addition, the BBC has also struck a deal with Microsoft’s Windows Live Messenger chat service to enable iPlayer users to message each other at the same time as watching TV content.