The BBC is delivering iPlayer content not protected by digital rights management to iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

The version of iPlayer sent to browsers identifying themselves as an iPhone in the user agent header - the portion of a web request that tells a web server what sort of device and browser is accessing them - delivers a non-DRM protected H.264 download.

The discovery of DRM-free content has gained widespread traction on the net as the BBC's decision to tie the download portion of iPlayer to Microsoft Windows Media digital rights management technologies limits users of computers not running Windows to streaming, not downloading, shows.

Several bloggers have posted examples demonstrating how users on Mac OS or Linux that run a browser capable of, either natively or using an extension, presenting a user agent stating that it is a mobile version of Safari - the browser used on iPhone and iPod Touch - are able to download the DRM-free programmes.

Nick Reynolds, the editor of the BBC's internet blog, said that at present "the current BBC line for press enquiries" is:

"The BBC iPlayer on iPhone and iPod Touch is currently in beta, which enables the BBC to pick up on these issues and find a solution that ensures the content is delivered to users in a secure way before the service is rolled out."

He added that Anthony Rose, the BBC's head of digital media technology, would comment further shortly.