4oD comes to iPad, Xbox Live to follow?

iPad, now with added 4oD
iPad, now with added 4oD

Another on-demand service has come to the iPad this week, with Channel 4 launching 4oD for Jobs and co's tablet device.

Following in the rather large footsteps of BBC iPlayer, the ad-funded app is initially being sponsored by Heineken and has a selection of content from the website, which excludes archive content and shows from the US.

Speaking about the launch, C4 head of VoD Sarah Milton said: "Collectively, connected TV is an interesting opportunity and in aggregation is a significant market, but at the moment it's all pretty fragmented.

"There's little in the way of consistent formats and we need some degree of scalability and longevity. The manufacturers are also continually developing new versions of their products."

On demand in demand

It seems that 4oD is also all set to launch on Xbox Live, with Microsoft seemingly changing tack and allowing more broadcast partners on to the service.

So far Sky has been the lone company to offer TV and movie content through Xbox Live, but both 4oD and ITV Player are likely to be made available through the Xbox 360 soon.

"It is taking a progressive view and opening up the platform to a number of people," said an unnamed insider to Broadcast.

"Broadcasters are interested in securing a presence on Xbox because they have all seen how well Sky has done from the distribution deal. And there has been an internal shift to making it easier for them to get onto the platform."

Via Broadcast

Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.