Channel 4 takes on BBC iPlayer with 4oD Catch Up TV app for iPad

Free to download, but only for a limited time, and in the UK only.

UK broadcaster Channel 4 has followed the BBC onto iPad with a catch-up TV application. 4oD Catch Up launched as a free download over the weekend, and lets people watch shows from Channel 4, E4 and More4 for up to 30 days after transmission.

Channel 4 is stressing that it's currently the only way to watch 4oD content on the iPad, with no limits on the amount of content that users can watch.

However, its App Store listing warns that "The 4oD iPad app is free for a limited time", hinting at plans to charge in the future - although it's unclear whether that will be a per-download charge, or a subscription model.

Other caveats: no US shows are available to watch within the app, it only works over Wi-Fi rather than 3G connections, and the current version only works on iPads running iOS 4 or later, although the listing says support for iOS 3.x is coming soon.

The 4oD launch follows the BBC's release of its iPlayer iPad app earlier this year.