Wii received the BBC’s iPlayer a few days ago, giving the system access to a dynamic range of online video content. With the PS3 touted as a multimedia machine, it only seems natural that Sony would attempt to implement this technology into their system as well.
As it turns out, both Microsoft and Sony have wanted to implement the iPlayer into their respective consoles, but neither has been able to do so. The BBC’s head of Future Media and Technology, Erik Huggers, provided some insight into the situation.
"If you want to get [iPlayer] on the PlayStation or Xbox, they want control of the look, the feel and the experience; they want it done within their shop, and their shop only," remarked Huggers.
Darren Waters, the BBC’s technology editor, commented on the irony of the debacle.
“How ironic that it is the Nintendo Wii, and not the PlayStation 3 nor Xbox 360, that becomes the first of the current generation of consoles to have a truly dynamic range of online video content,” said Waters on his blog.
“The BBC’s announcement of a deal with Nintendo to put the iPlayer’s streaming service on the console makes something of a mockery of claims by Sony and Microsoft that their consoles are the true multimedia machines.”
If Sony loosens up and gives some room for creative control, this situation may change. If not, we may never see an official version of the iPlayer on a PlayStation platform which would be a true shame.