The BBC has announced plans to roll out a new app which will improve audio and video streaming for users of Android tablets and smartphones, called BBC Media Player.
As of next week the app will be available as a free download from the Play Store, providing improved playback on as many Android devices as possible for things like iPlayer. It provides a secure way of watching video and listening to audio content that the Beeb provides through various sites and services, and adds in some new features as well.
Once launched, the app will work with the website version of the BBC iPlayer service to begin with, and the BBC has already confirmed that it will launch an updated version of the iPlayer app for Android next week that incorporates the new player. Once that’s all sorted, the BBC says other services and websites will be reworked to use the newer, better player.
The image above shows the Player in action, and has a similar interface to the current iPlayer system. Subtitles have also been added for viewers around the world, which we think is a nice touch.
In a blog post the BBC also touched on its use of Flash Player, and the issues it has encountered since Google announced the update to Jelly Bean 4.1. However, after weighing up the choices and nearly switching to HLS (HTTP Live Streaming), it has decided to create a new app of its own, which uses Adobe Air.
The app will become available from the Play Store next week and should work on all Android devices post-2.1.
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Via: BBC