VLC is among the most popular cross-platform media players due to its robust playback engine that can handle pretty much anything. Its Android app just received some notable updates to the beta.

Picture-in-picture is the most user-facing change on Android TV. Users will be able to now continue watching their content while they navigate the system. The app also supports new types of video content: 360-degree video, VP8/9/10 in MP4 files, and more.

The newly adopted medialibrary system will allow media to be scanned and managed must faster using native C++ in a SQL database. Search results should also see large improvements.

The developers aren’t slowing down either. They plan to continue developing VLC into a fully-fledged media center with richer graphics and a synchronization system with your NAS. It could be an interesting competitor to services like Plex. The app’s upcoming extensions API will allow other Android apps to “provide content to VLC”. Some examples they will produce include podcast subscriptions and Google Drive access.

The app is free to download on Google Play. You can also sign up to get these features now.