Ad-supported streaming might be on the horizon for VLC media player

VLC media player might get online ad-supported media streaming capabilities sometime in the future, according to VLC president, Jean-Baptiste Kempf.

In a conversation with LowPass, Kempf talked about the ever-evolving media space, referencing Netflix’s move from being a DVD-only service to becoming the biggest streaming platform. And despite the takeover of streaming services, VLC’s position in the market has remained strong. It surpassed three billion downloads in early 2019, and the latest version of the app, which came out in November 2023, has already been downloaded 335 million times by desktop users. “People are still downloading VLC a lot,” said Kempf.

According to Kempf, to continue growing, the application needs to set its sights on “next-generation platforms.” To do that, VLC has already developed a version of the app for the Vision Pro, though it hasn’t been released yet. Similarly, the platform is open to working on a version for the Meta Quest headsets but says there are already several good players in that market.

Further, the company is also working on a web version of VLC, which would eliminate the need to download the app.

Elsewhere, Kempf also suggested that VLC could potentially embrace fast channels and “other ad-supported online media,” allowing users to dive into shows or movies right away directly from the player. It’s worth noting that the development is still in the conceptual stage, and if it ever does materialize, VLC won’t lose its core capabilities. Additionally, the streaming feature would be optional for users.

You can check out the full LowPass interview with Kempf here.

Source: LowPass