BBC hints at iPlayer iPhone App

The BBC has revealed plans to launch a dedicated iPlayer App for the iPhone, including TV downloads and interactive options.

An image used on the cover of a BBC iPlayer results press pack appears to show an App for the catch-up platform on Apple's mobile device. The on-demand service is currently only available via the iPhone's WiFi connection.

Alongside downloads and live streaming of TV and radio programming, the new app will also feature functionality to send messages. For example, the image shows a Chris Moyles live show with 'send a message to Chris' in a tab above it.

In the results, the BBC further revealed that iPhone and iPod Touch usage is now consistently making up 7% of total iPlayer requests for TV programming and 3% for radio.

In October, iPlayer received 79.3 million requests for programming - 53.2m for TV and 26.1m for radio - on all available platforms, its best results since launching in 2007.

However, usage of iPlayer on Sony's PS3 actually declined from 9% in September to 6% last month, despite a relaunch of the service under a sanctioned link.

The vast majority of iPlayer usage (76% TV/85% radio) is still via PC, with 97% of people streaming the content compared to just 3% downloading the material.