James Delahunty
11 Apr 2008 21:13
The recent decision to add iPlayer support to the Nintendo Wii console left many wondering why Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) or Microsoft's Xbox 360 didn't get a similar announcement before. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the reason for it has to do with the manufacturers of the consoles themselves, who were apparently excessively demanding on details about iPlayer's implementation into their hardware.
Erik Huggers of the BBC said that both companies have expressed interest in bringing the iPlayer software to their consoles. BBC's iPlayer allows TV viewers in the UK to catch up on programmes they missed on television for free. Huggers said that with the PS3's build-in web browser, upcoming iPlayer support is almost inevitable for it.
"If you want to get [iPlayer] on the PlayStation or Xbox, they want control of the look, the feel and the experience. They want it done within their shop, and their shop only," Huggers claimed.
The Xbox 360 does not have an Internet browser, meaning its implementation would be more difficult. The traffic levels to and from the iPlayer have been significant enough to spark a row between the BBC and many of the ISPs in the territory about who should pay for much needed upgrades.