Warner Bros. is now allowing U.S. customers to stream and download TV shows the day after they air via a new iOS application that works on both iPhone and iPad. The app, called “Day After US,” makes the first episode of popular WB shows like Gossip Girl, Big Bang Theory and The Vampire Diaries available for free, and also offers previous episodes for a fee.
The streaming functionality only works over Wi-Fi, but the episodes can also be downloaded for offline playback, or for when you’re not connected over a Wi-Fi network. The shows are available in multiple languages, and in some cases, audio dubs and subtitles are available, too.
In addition to the video content, users can get real-time news from Twitter and Facebook, explore the wider WB catalog of applications, share with friends, and more. In testing the app, it appears that so far, only the three shows listed above are currently available for streaming or purchase. In checking out Gossip Girl, for example, (I know – OMG GOSSIP GIRL!) the app oddly offered both the SD and HD version for the same price: $2.99 per episode. That might be a mistake. Subscription passes are available as well, at $24.99 for Season 6 in SD, and $30.99 for HD, to give you an idea about pricing.
However, the app includes a “Share” section, too, which lets users get a free episode of a show by posting to Facebook*. I tried this feature just now, and after tapping “OK” when the app asked if it could post on my behalf, nothing happened. The dialog box disappeared, and my Facebook timeline is (for now) still unmarred. It seems Day After US may have some kinks to work out.
You don’t have to create an account to get started with the app, nor do you have to prove that you pay for a cable TV subscription, as the network is not a premium channel like HBO is, with its similarly-focused HBO GO application.
The Day After US app is available here in iTunes.
– XOXO, TechCrunch
* Correction: This post was corrected to clarify that shows are only available for free if you share on Facebook, it appears. Here’s how the app’s “Info” section describes this functionality:
“Unlock a free episode when you share on Facebook that you have downloaded this app to view television episodes the day after they air in the U.S.”
The wording here, and elsewhere in the app, makes it unclear whether you’ll have the option to share on Facebook each week to get a free episode, or if that’s a one-time deal. We’ve reached out to WB for clarification on this.