ITV 'plotting ITV Player expansion'

ITV is reportedly in talks to bring its ITV Player catch-up service to Apple, Blackberry and Google Android smartphones, along with Sony's PlayStation 3.

According to The Daily Telegraph, a dedicated ITV Player mobile app will allow users to catch up on the broadcaster's on-demand content on a variety of devices.

A senior TV executive close to ITV claimed that the paid-for app would be made available in the Apple, Blackberry and Google Android app stores as early as September.

"ITV is trying to get its content on to every platform and having ITV Player, its 30-day catch-up service, available on the key smartphone devices, is an incredibly important part of the broadcaster’s digital strategy," said the source.

"There will be a one-off payment for the app, and the app will be populated on a daily basis with new content which will be continually supported by advertising."

The source also indicated that ITV is currently in talks with Sony about making ITV Player available on the PS3 console.

Like BBC iPlayer, which is already available on the PS3, the service would be streamed directly to users over the PlayStation Network.

However, the source claimed that all content on ITV Player would be supported by advertising when the service launches on the PSN at the beginning of September.

An ITV spokesman did not confirm the speculation, but did indicate that the broadcaster wants to make its content available on a wide range of digital platforms.

"Viewers are consuming content on a range of platforms to suit their lifestyles so we want to make our content available when and where consumers want to watch it," he said.

"We are considering options for this as part of our ongoing strategic review."

From tomorrow, ITV will launch its new live TV web app for the iPhone, which will enable users to watch a simulcast of ITV1 and ITV2 on the mobile device, including all of the broadcaster's World Cup games.