The popular media player VLC, or VideoLAN as the full name is, will be released as version 4.0 later in 2021. The interface has been redesigned to make it feel more modern and easier to use.
And the redesigned interface is actually the biggest news. At least if we are to believe Jean-Baptiste Kempf, responsible for the organization responsible for the development of VLC.
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If you think that the whole thing with a new interface sounds familiar, you have a good memory. Already in February 2019 was given a first presentation of what it would look like. Then during the FOSDEM conference with a clear angle towards transparency and a new color scheme.
Other improvements are that more online content will be implemented in VLC and a web version is underway.
The online content is about the integration of third-party services whose media can be found and played directly via VLC. This allows services to offer ad-free movies directly in the media player; similar to how Plex does with its streaming service.
VLC has long had a browser add-on that makes the media player work there as well. This will be replaced by a new implementation based on Webassembly and JavaScript. Together, they open for embedding VLC directly on a website so that users can play any movie format directly from a website.
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And finally, we have Moviepedia Project – an attempt to create your own IMDb-style movie database that is maintained by users. It is unclear about all the details about Moviepedia Project, but we know at least that the name is only used internet right now and is called something else when (read: if) the database is officially released.
There is no date for when VLC 4.0 can be released, no more than sometime in 2021.
