BBC iPlayer App launching for iPad and Android devices

The BBC announced yesterday on its Internet Blog that they were “applying the finishing touches” to a dedicated iPad and Android iPlayer App which should launch by the end of this week.

Here are the key features on Android and iPad:

Watch live TV and listen to radio (not previously widely available on mobile devices)
Access the BBC’s full catalogue of catch-up programmes; seven-days’ TV and radio on demand as well as series stacking (as you get on the web)
A simple and intuitive design with high picture quality and personalised favourites (making the most of the touch-screen UI, and a popular feature on the website)

Whats interesting it that it seems that the iPad App will be able to stream content over 3G or WiFi, but the Android App will be WiFi only.

You’ll need a device that uses Android version 2.2 and has Adobe Flash 10.1 Player installed. Our Flash streams need a powerful mobile phone processor and a Wi-Fi connection to ensure a smooth viewing experience, which means that only newer, more powerful Android 2.2 devices connected via Wi-Fi can support the Flash 10.1 streaming experience.

It’s also not clear at this time if the App will work on the iPhone or iPod Touch, and there is no mention of being able to download programs for later viewing which is something that would set the App apart from the basic web streaming that already exists.