BBC offers iPlayer content downloads for iPhone and iPad devices

The BBC has revamped its iPlayer service to allow iPhone and iPad users to download and watch content on their devices, so they can catch up on programmes when not connected to the internet.

The update allows users to, for the first time, store content on their mobile device for up to 30 days having downloaded it via the iPlayer app when connected to the web.

Once a user has started watching a show they have downloaded, they will have seven days to finish it, in a move that should help the broadcaster keep pace with the growing demand for the tool.

“For iPlayer, take-up on portable devices has been particularly impressive, with 30m requests for iPlayer content via mobile or tablet in July alone,” wrote David Madden, an executive product manager on the BBC's iPlayer blog.

“This represented more than 20 percent of all requests for iPlayer programmes across all platforms.”

The service is initially available only via the iPlayer app for iOS-based devices, although the Madden promised that an Android version would be coming “soon”.

Users of other devices may also ultimately have the mobile download service extended to them, although Madden gave no firm commitment.

According to the BBC, the use of iPlayer on mobile devices has been increasingly dramatically. It claimed to have received 30 million requests for iPlayer content from mobile devices in July alone.

By comparison, the BBC has previously said in October 2011 it had just 16.5 million requests for programmes from mobile devices.