The Xbox Series X and Series S have just taken delivery of a shiny new streaming app – BBC iPlayer.
The early Christmas present means Xbox owners can finally stream live BBC TV channels and binge on Beeb boxsets through their console. (Here’s where to buy the Xbox Series X, if you’re struggling to find stock).
According to the BBC: “From this morning, BBC iPlayer is now available on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Owners of the new consoles can download the BBC iPlayer app for free from the Microsoft Store on Xbox.”
Back in November, at the launch of the new Xbox, Microsoft apologised for the lack of iPlayer and promised to ‘work tirelessly’ to fix the issue. Now that diligence has paid off, Xbox users with a TV license can kick back in front of BBC TV channels or catch up on boxsets such as Normal People, Peaky Blinders and the darkly-brilliant Inside No.9.
The Xbox Series X launched with a pretty strong line-up of streaming apps, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, Sky Go, Now TV, Spotify, Twitch and YouTube TV. In the US, that list extends to HBO Max, Hulu, Peacock, Vudu and FandangoNOW.
In other words, if you’re after a console that doubles as an entertainment hub, the new Xbox is a good shout. It’s also the first console to support both Dolby Atmos sound (from launch) and Dolby Vision (due 2021).
It’s not all sherry and mince pies, though. As we recently reported, Samsung TV owners have been disappointed to discover that the Xbox Series X doesn’t support HDR10+.
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Read our Xbox Series X review
Read our Xbox Series S review
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