Whilst everyone wants BBC TV apps running on their smartphone right now, some iphone users in the UK are against the idea. As the iphone currently can run the BBC iplayer service, rightmobilephone.co.uk reports that 80% of UK iPhone owners are against any BBC tv apps being released.

In the UK users of the BBC (so anyone with a tv set) has to fork out for an annual license fee which is currently around £180 and is used to fund the BBC. Users are against the new apps because the live streaming may mean that they have to buy a TV license. Currently due to a quirk watching BBC delayed broadcasts does not require a license.

In the survey which consisted of 1046 iPhone users, it was discovered that 42% use their smartphone to watch TV and movies from the BBC iPlayer service and other catch-up TV apps. These are all exempt from having to buy a license fee as they are not live streams.

Although they should have been released already in the UK, the BBC’s apps are on hold after commercial rivals had criticised its plans, saying the free apps would hamper their own ability to explore new (paid) business models for their own apps. Strangely though this has not prevented the BBC mobile TV apps being released in other Countries.

And the worry amongst existing iphone users who do not have a license is, that when they do get released, the iPhones users may be forced to buy aTV license even if they do not download the tv apps. Obviously a large percentage (62%) of respondents said they would rather download a different tv app that didn’t need a TV license. The problem is similar to UK tv owners who choose not to watch BBC channels, they still legally need a license because they are able to view the BBC.

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