3G iView streaming still in the works: ABC

Users of the ABC catch-up television service, iView, will have to wait a little longer to stream their favourite shows using 3G mobile networks.

ABC iView iPad App (Credit: Luke Hopewell/ZDNet Australia)

According to iView project director, Hamish Dobbs, the problem lies with tough Apple restrictions and the potentially prohibitive cost of streaming high-resolution content via 3G.

"We're looking at a range of options regarding how to serve iView over 3G to the audience in a cost-efficient manner that doesn't sacrifice the quality of the experience; the problem, of course, is that however we do it, there's a volume cost involved," Dobbs told ZDNet Australia.

Dobbs added that, depending on the 3G-streaming gear deployed, volume costs could spiral into millions of dollars per month for the broadcaster.

The iView project team also has to contend with tight restrictions imposed by Apple on streaming content over 3G. Wi-Fi streaming of iView has been extremely popular among Apple iPad users since the the iView app was released to the App Store last year.

"Apple's restrictions for streaming content to devices are pretty specific … we want to make sure we can comply with those," Dobbs said.

Next iView version coming soon

The ABC is, however, set to release version 1.1 of its popular iView app for iPad in the "very near future", according to Dobbs.

Content restrictions are a new addition to ABC's iView app for iPad(Credit: ABC)

Version 1.1 includes parental controls for those wishing to restrict content within the application — a notable exclusion from version 1.0 of the app.

The current version is rated for ages 12 and up, meaning that children and teens currently have access to potentially age inappropriate programming.

The new version will see age inappropriate material blacked out on the application's launch and search screens. It also covers off several bug fixes and interface tweaks.