The long-awaited update for the open-source media player Kodi (formerly XMBC) has finally arrived. Version 18, which was in development under the codename “Leia” for almost two years, is now available for all supported platforms. The project describes itself as a “long gestation,” and comes with a massive changelog.
Kodi 18 released with a long list of changes
Kodi 18 brings tons of new features and improvements to the popular media center application. Support for external DRM handlers, improved Blu-Ray support, Android Leanback suggestions, integration with retro game emulators, and better filtering and sorting of your music library are a few of them.
Here’s a quick run-through some of these noteworthy changes:
- External DRM handlers: Kodi can now access external DRM handlers and then play subscription content just like any other local media.
- Improved Blu-Ray support: Blu-ray support in terms of disc detection and metadata has been improved.
- Android Leanback suggestions: Kodi can now show suggested contents on the homescreen of your Android TV. You can also search for content through voice with Google Assistant.
- Retro gaming: Kodi is introducing support for gaming emulators, ROMs, and controls. You can now access a whole world of retro gaming from the same interface as your movies, music and TV shows.
- Music library and playback improvements: You now get better filtering of your music library, based on artist name, gender, media source, type, etc. Improvements have also been made in 4K, 8K, and HDR video support, as well as variety of audio playback systems.
Kodi 18 also includes some platform-specific updates, such as:
- Android: Now supports SD cards and speech-to-text.
- iOS: Support for iOS 10.
- Windows: Now comes in a 64-bit version.
- Linux: Adds DRM support as well as support for the Wayland and Mir display servers.
Kodi is available to download for free on all supported platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can find out more about Kodi 18 in the official announcement.
