The BBC will launch its on-demand TV service BBC iPlayer this Friday (27th July 2007), making the software available as an open public beta for the very first time.

The iPlayer allows Windows users to stream programmes for seven days after broadcast, or download them for viewing for up to 30 days. The corporation said today it is working on distribution deals with MSN, Telegraph.co.uk, AOL, Tiscali, Yahoo!, Myspace, Bebo and Blinkx. The development of iPlayer has been beset by controversy over strategy and delays and since it was first announced three years ago, however.

The broadcaster has faced harsh criticism of the service, because it is initially only available for Windows systems, though it doesn’t yet work with Windows Vista. However, the BBC has been ordered to prioritise developing a version of the service which will work with non-Windows systems, principally Mac OS X.

Under instruction from the broadcaster’s governing body, the BBC Trust, the company must develop the service to be “platform-agnostic”, though no time-scale for such development has yet been announced. But the move to support Macs is seen as essential, the BBC confirmed.

“We are committed to making it as easy as possible to use BBC iPlayer. Developing a version for Apple Macs and Microsoft Vista is absolutely on our critical path,” said BBC director of future media and technology, Ashley Highfield.