BBC will be offering downloadable radio shows through iPlayer

The BBC Trust has insisted that Brits should be allowed to download radio shows to their devices in the same way as TV shows have been made available - and the service should arrive by next year.

Currently, if you have an iOS Apple device or a laptop you can download most television shows to watch offline, although this has understandably left Android owners a little nonplussed.

And now radio will be made available, which could well prove to be a popular option given the wealth of popular shows across the publicly-funded broadcaster. It should be noted that much of the popular stuff is already available as offline-ready podcasts.

The BBC Trust's decision has been welcomed by the BBC, who anticipate the work will take "some months yet".

Shot in the arm

It could be also be a shot in the arm for some of the radio shows that would seem to be ideal for commuters without a steady connection.

Comedy shows like Just a Minute, for instance, will be hoping that they can continue their popularity on download after proving a hit on the connected service.

Of course, the radio shows will be protected by digital right management (DRM) and will last for 30 days from broadcast and a further seven from first listen.

TechRadar has asked the BBC what devices the downloadable content will be available on, but it's apparently "too soon to say".