BBC iPlayer to hit Macs in 2008

The iPlayer is a catch-up online TV service

The BBC will launch a download version of its iPlayer online video service for Apple Mac users by the end of 2008.

The corporation's director general Mark Thompson made the commitment in a blog posting on the BBC's website.

"I hope this good news is evidence of the hard work that the BBC is committing to supporting other platforms," he wrote.

The BBC had faced criticism for launching the download iPlayer service for Windows users only.

Explaining the decision to launch for just Windows users, Mr Thompson said it had been about "making the service available in the shortest time frame to the greatest amount of users".

He wrote: "Were we to choose to not develop any systems or services until they could be received by every single individual licence-fee payer, our capacity for development and innovation - in the interest of serving those who fund our services - would be severely limited."

The BBC's iPlayer comes in two versions - a program which allows users to download programmes to their Windows PC and a streaming version on the web available to all users.