LONDON--The BBC says its iPlayer app for iOS and Android mobile devices has been downloaded over 20 million times in total. The top days for app downloads have been the past two Christmases, with 229,200 downloads on Dec. 25, 2011 and 385,600 downloads on the same day in 2012, when many smartphones and tablets were unwrapped and switched on for the first time.
In September 2013, a record 70 million TV requests came from mobiles and tablets, compared to just 5 million in September 2010. And TV requests from mobile devices now make up 41 per cent of all iPlayer requests, compared with just 6 per cent three years ago. BBC iPlayer viewing peaks slightly later than broadcast TV – with audiences flocking to iPlayer at 10pm, as many viewers switch to tablets to catch their favorite show in bed. And mobile viewing is popular again first thing in the morning, as viewers switch on their mobiles for their daily commute. BBC iPlayer viewing also increases at the weekend, boosted by increased daytime viewing as well as audiences watching popular Saturday night programming.
BBC Three comedies dominated the top programs viewed on mobile devices – with "Bad Education" and "Some Girls" making up six of the top 10 programs. Other popular programs included "The Great British Bake Off," "EastEnders" and "Waterloo Road."
Downloading BBC TV shows has grown in popularity following the launch of “mobile downloads” in September 2012. Since then, "Top Gear" has topped the list for the most popular downloaded individual episode, with 92,000 downloads for episode one, series 20. Ten other episodes of "Top Gear" made the top 20 downloaded programs, along with dramas such as "Luther," "Ripper Street" and "Doctor Who," and comedies such as “Miranda” and “Bad Education.” “EastEnders” was the most downloaded series overall, with 1.9 million downloads to date.
