Yup, we’ve told you that the long wait will finally end and voila… the first beta version of VLC is now available for download from Google Play. The sad news is that not all devices will work with this release, though most new phones will do the job — as long as they’re powered by an ARMv7-based processor.
VLC for Android can play most (though not all) local video and audio files, as well as network streams, like the desktop version of VLC. It has its own media library and allows you to browse folders directly. Moreover, there’s built-in support for multi-track audio and subtitles, auto-rotation, aspect-ratio adjustments, gestures for volume control, stereo headset support, cover art and even comes with a widget for audio control.
As for what will be included in the final release, expect a whole new UI, improved performance and hardware decoding (with support for more devices), while many of the bugs will be fixed.
The question is – should you install it? If you do have a newer Android smartphone and really love VLC, well, I don’t want to be the one stopping you from pushing the button. 😉
VLC Beta (FREE) [Google Play link]