A quick update about VLC for the Windows (Phone) Store

I have been relatively quiet these past few weeks because I have been working hard to revamp the VLC Windows Store version, which is now a universal app.

I took my time to ask myself the right questions: now that the first beta version (which I personally found slow and buggy) is released, what should I do next?

Should I target Windows 8.1 only and drop Windows 8.0 support?

Yes, the update is free, and more than half of the users are already running 8.1. I apologize to the remaining users, but it’s time to update.

Should I prioritize the work on the touch interface or the desktop interface?

Both. I believe the app should be responsive! A great design is one that adapts itself depending on the device you’re using while maintaining the same user experience.

Should I rebuild the app from scratch again, or should I try to fix bugs one by one and improve the current design?

The first option is faster but also more risky. So I decided to take my time and build a great universal app based on the work we have done so far. I have cleaned the code, which is now shared between Windows Phone and Windows at a 90 percent level and has the exact same features, except for DLNA support on WP (that might change).

The XAML code is nearly the same. I worked really hard to create a design that works well on phones, phablets, tablets, laptops, and desktops, thanks to the upcoming windowed mode that Windows Threshold is rumored to bring (I tested it with Stardock Modern Mix).

Performance-wise, the app is much faster than before and more responsive on tablets. I am also striving to achieve the best responsiveness possible on low-end phones like the Lumia 520, which has a significant market share in the WP world.

Some geniuses are also upgrading the VLC wrapper from Direct2D to Direct3D, which will bring further performance improvements.

The Windows 8.1 version is nearly ready to ship and should be released very soon on the Store (spoiler: not this week, as I’m currently busy in Seattle with the MSP Summit and Imagine Cup finals).

What about Windows Phone and Windows RT?

Well, we still have problems with the ARM compiler that the team needs to fix. Once this is done, we will press the “release” button.

Enough talk - here are some current screenshots. Please note that these are not mockups but real working code, and the design is not yet finished. Some elements may change here and there.