VdoCipher Android SDK Features Update

We are happy to inform you about major updates to our Android Native and React Native SDK to provide new cool features.

Android Native SDK:

• Exoplayer version upgrade – Upgraded Exoplayer dependency to the latest version 2.18.0.
  Android Native SDK Doc, latest version 1.12.1. Android Video SDK

• Picture in Picture – You can also implement Picture in Picture mode in your app with our player by following the documentation presented here.

• Auto-Resume – While generating the embed info for a video, the user can also pass the flag enableAutoResume (default: false), to enable the auto-resume of the video playback from the last watched position. The documentation is here at the end of this doc.

• Search in the caption – You can search the text in the selected closed caption to seek to a position of the desired sentence or word. The offline playback also has an option to use and search in captions now.

• Offline download new setup – We are now using Exoplayer’s download APIs to download and play videos offline which will in turn reduce the errors faced while downloading videos.

• Offline download in external storage – The content can now be downloaded in external storage(for example – SD card) and download notifications can be customized at your end. The details can be found here and here.

• Caption language – You can set the default caption language for a video. 

• Common Error Codes Documented – You can also refer to the link here to see all the Error Codes and their descriptions.

Android React Native SDK:

• Latest Version updated to Latest version: 1.8.1.

• New Documentation –  We have updated the documentation for react-native SDK to have a more detailed description that can be found here for React Native SDK.

• Auto-resume – You can also auto-resume playback from the time till when you last watched a video. Documentation: React native video SDK.

• Custom player controls – We have also added the documentation to add custom controls in the player which can be found here.

• Fullscreen – You can now toggle the full-screen of the player embedded in JS code using custom or native controls by following the documentation present here.

• The other features added in native SDK will also be implemented in the react-native SDK in some time.

A note for our users:

While we rigorously tested these features internally and with our initial Beta users, there could be still some clarification/improvement required. You can share your feedback and if any issues are encountered by just writing us at support@vdocipher.com.

FAQs

How can I enable Picture in Picture (PiP) mode in my app?

Ensure your activity supports PiP mode in the manifest file, use setPictureInPictureSupport(true) on VdoPlayerUIFragment, and handle UI changes when the app enters or exits PiP mode.

How does offline video download and playback work?

From SDK version 1.13.0, videos can be saved offline without the need for continuous internet connectivity, but the internet is required for playback authentication. The SDK from version 1.17.0 allows passing a persistent OTP for downloading videos.

How can I ensure my app only plays videos on genuine physical devices?

Implement SafetyNet via Google APIs to enhance emulator protection and optionally block devices with ADB debugging enabled for higher security.

What steps should be taken to handle orientation changes in my app?

Override config changes in your AndroidManifest.xml and use onConfigurationChanged in your activity to manage UI elements during orientation changes.

Are there any ProGuard rules specific to VdoCipher SDK?

Yes, ProGuard rules to keep VdoCipher and associated MediaLibraryInfo classes are necessary to ensure proper functionality of the SDK.