Blast From The Past: VLC Media Player Returns To The App Store
by Brent Dirks
July 18, 2013
More than two years after being removed, the open-source VLC media player is making a triumphant return to the App Store today.
Well-known for being able to play almost any media format, the app has been totally rewritten and features modern output modules for both audio and video playback along with multi-core decoding.
Files can be transferred to an iOS device through iTunes. The new version of VLC also offers Dropbox integration and the ability to stream over a network.
VLC for iOS is currently available to download in Australia and New Zealand and should be available in the United States at 11 p.m. EDT tonight. It is a universal app designed for the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad/iPad mini.
The first version of the VLC for iOS was removed from the App Store in early 2011 after a huge licensing dispute between the original developers of the VideoLan Project and the iOS app.
While I’m pleased to see the VLC media player return to the App Store, the media market has substantially changed in the last two years. I can’t remember the last time I synced any of my iOS devices to a computer. But if you have a Wi-Fi only iPad or are traveling somewhere without reliable Internet access, I can see how the app would be a big help.
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