BBC iPlayer app has disappeared!

[antaylor111]

The BBC iPlayer app has disappeared from both my Sony smart TV (KDL-46HX853) and my Sony Blu-Ray player

(BDP-S790).

Have these apps been removed from Sony devices or is there something wrong with my devices? I have checked through all the menus multiple times and the iPlayer app is definitely not there,

any suggestions appreciated

thanks

[MK_Slinky]

@Anonymous@Pedro126 

Hi guys,

I think the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as ammended) can be quite a complicated read at the best of times and I'm not an expert either way but to help understand these issues Which Magazine have published this article which may help. It may be this document which @Pedro126 is referring too perhaps.

Which Magazine - Manufacturers abandon support for tech products too quickly

[Anonymous]

Thanks MK_Slinky.  The Sales of Goods Act referrs to the retailer you purchased from (under UK Contract Law, your contract is with the retailer/seller).  Hence the manufactuerer (ie Sony) is not in the equation of which Pedro126 was referring to 

You can envoke the SoGA (same as with the vTuner saga) under the Goods must be (as described, satisfactory quality or fit for purpose), but you must take that up with the seller or retailer you purchased the goods from.  However I understand that there are time limits to for "Fit for purpose" (ie 6 months since you purchased the product).  In Pedros126's case, the product was fit for purpose much longer than that.

After 6 months, its up to the individual to prove this "fit for purpose" claim.  I am not aware of any test cases (as of yet) in regards to withdrawal of a 3rd party service (ie iPlayer)

Link to a summary write up (by which):

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/sale-of-goods-act

[MK_Slinky]

@Anonymous 

Hi there, yes you're absolutely right, I don't disagree one bit but I think the purpose of this 'Which' report is to highlight how the laws need to be changed. Quite possible Sony hide behind the existing law safe in the knowledge that it is the retailer who cops the flack when services go down but responsibility should be shared equally. I believe this is what 'Which' want to change.

One might argue that a Seller might choose to stop offerring a certain brand simply becuase it is more troublesome than another manufacturers devices and I could see the logic in that way of thinking. Some manufacturers as we know give better aftersales support than others. A shared responsibility when issues develop would prevent this from happening.

Anyone else reading might want to have their own say on the matter using the link below. Which are gathering this information presumably to present to parliment. I've just added my own piece for what it's worth. Manufacturers abandon support for tech products too quickly

[Anonymous]

@MK_Slinky 

Specifically to the iPlayer on 'older' devices (im going to use the term older, lightly though ) - The BBC changed the fundamental code in the running of the iPlayer, which makes it simply impossible (in terms of the operating system AS well as the actual hardware) to run the new version of iPlayer. 

How is it Sony's fault that the BBC has coded a program knowing full well that many devices will not work?  You can argue the fact of Fit for purpose (under SoGA) against the retailer, but again, this is not against the manufacturer (ie Sony).

I certainly agree though, that there needs to be more longevity in terms of these applications on devices. 

Sony is not hiding in terms of existing laws.  The BBC can withdraw its service at any time - and there is not 1 iota Sony could do about it (unless there is a contract between Sony and the BBC that states otherwise)

Anyway, all's good for healthy debate

[Anonymous]

Just to add to the debate (of consumer and retailers rights and disputes).  As of yesterday, the UK now has a Retail Ombudsman:

http://www.theretailombudsman.org.uk/

"

The Retail Ombudsman provides a free, fair and independent service for dealing with unresolved disputes between retailers and consumers in the UK. The Ombudsman follows the rules laid down by the Ombudsman Association. The Ombudsman is totally independent of retailers and reports directly to the The Retail Ombudsman independent standards board, which has a majority of non-industry members.

The Ombudsman's role is to reach a resolution of unresolved disputes in full and final settlement and, where appropriate, he will make an appropriate award of financial compensation or other action, for example make an apology. Therefore, if you feel that you have been disadvantaged by the actions or inactions of a retailer, you have access to an independent dispute resolution service and can be certain of receiving a fair and reasonable judgment of your complaint.

"

[MK_Slinky]

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@Quinnicus wrote:

@MK_Slinky 

Specifically to the iPlayer on 'older' devices (im going to use the term older, lightly though ) - The BBC changed the fundamental code in the running of the iPlayer, which makes it simply impossible (in terms of the operating system AS well as the actual hardware) to run the new version of iPlayer. 

How is it Sony's fault that the BBC has coded a program knowing full well that many devices will not work?  You can argue the fact of Fit for purpose (under SoGA) against the retailer, but again, this is not against the manufacturer (ie Sony). No I don't disagree with you on this point, I don't think I was suggesting that however I do agree that there does need to be more longevity in terms of these applications on devices as you have rightly said in your following paragraph.

I certainly agree though, that there needs to be more longevity in terms of these applications on devices. 

Sony is not hiding in terms of existing laws.  The BBC can withdraw its service at any time - and there is not 1 iota Sony could do about it (unless there is a contract between Sony and the BBC that states otherwise)

I confess to be at cross purposes on this one as explained in my PM yesterday. Rather foolishly I was going off topic in my own mind when writing my comments and was referring to the vTuner fiasco, these issues are very similar. As I said in that PM, Sony are fully aware of UK trading laws and so the issue of an updated Statement is not legally their responsibility, hence my suggestion they might be hiding. As you say here, the BBC or even vTuner for that matter can withdraw a service and there's nothing Sony can do about it. I think we would all agree that service providers need to show more responsibility towards the companies which support their services otherwise manufacturers will just drop them completely. In essence Service Providers and Manufacturers need to collaborate more effectively with one another to prevent such scenarios.

Anyway, all's good for healthy debate  

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Sorry for the inline comments, I was being lazy!

[Pedro126]

Well BBC did not withdraw its service I have another Sony black box which does still get BBC's iPlayer and that in comparison to the home theatre system was very cheap.

[Anonymous]

@Pedro1265 

Please read the following Statements

BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/internet/posts/New-BBC-iPlayer-for-Connected-TVs-update

Sony:

http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/content/cnt-hn/prd-tvhc/bbc-iplayer-announcement

After that, if you feel like reading the following thread (as this has already been discussed):

http://community.sony.co.uk/t5/televisions/bbc-iplayer-on-sony-bravia-discontinued-in-september/m-p/...

If after all that, you still feel that you need more information.  Please contact the BBC : HERE

Cheers

[Pedro126]

Thanks for the links, but I was already quite familiar with the back story re the reasons for the loss of BBC iPlayer on certain smart TVs and home theatre systems, i.e. that it was the BBC that changed their output and requirements.

You can get a Now TV box for £10 that will give you BBC iPlayer etc,.it just makes Sony look silly in a technical sense, even if the problem is down to changes made by the BBC.

Also their inability/unwillingness to come up with a technical response to keep these particular customers happy is woeful (although they did manage to find a solution in conjunction with the BBC for the Bravia TVs that were affected. I don't know the full technical dteails behind that but I would guess that an adverse custmoer reaction figured heaviliy in the decision for making that special effort).

[Pedro126]

"Manufacturers abandon support for tech products too quickly"   "Make your voice heard

You have every right to a reasonable lifespan for the products you buy, and this should extend to support for the services these products are marketed with in the first  place. A newConsumer Rights Bill, currently being debated in Parliament, will strengthen the consumers’ hand bringing law into the 21st century and making your rights clearer on digital content.

In the meantime, we want to hear your stories and experiences so that we can build a groundswell of support to challenge the manufacturers to do the right thing by all their customers."

Please send your stories to Andrew Laughlin at Which magazine, with the forthcoming election now is a good time to change the attitude of manufacturers through lobbying your MPs. on this issue.

http://conversation.which.co.uk/contact-us/