Infuse 5 is out: Up Next, Split View, PiP, iCloud sync, cloud streaming & more

Infuse 5 teaser 001

aTV Flash Black developer Firecore today released Infuse 5, a major new version of his versatile media player for the Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It’s the single biggest Infuse update Firecore ever released and they’ve been working on it for the better part of the year.

Infuse 5 packs in a bunch of goodies, including iCloud sync, a new “Up Next” discovery list for the Apple TV, Split View and Picture in Picture support on compatible iPads, cloud streaming and much more.

The new Up Next list in Infuse for Apple TV shows you both the items you’re currently watching (see them right underneath the Watching heading) and any movies, TV shows or other media that have been recently added.

On the iOS side, the app has been fully optimized for iOS 10 and supports even more file types than before. Infuse is one of the rare apps in the App Store that packs in fully certified support for Dolby Digital Plus (AC3/E-AC3), DTS and DTS-HD audio.

Infuse 5 for tvOS Up Next Apple TV screenshot 001

With Split View support on any iPad that works with iOS’s new multitasking modes, you can watch your favorite movies and TV shows in Infuse while checking your email, browsing the web, chatting or using any other Split View-enabled app in the useful side-by-side landscape multitasking mode.

Infuse 5 for iOS iPad screenshot 009

Next, it’s now possible to set up Infuse the way you like on one device and have those same settings automatically carried over to of your other Infuse devices. That’s because Infuse 5 now uses iCloud to keep all your shares, favorites, metadata, playback settings and Up Next items in sync on all your devices.

Infuse 5 for iOS iPhone screenshot 006

And with Picture in Picture mode, you can detach any video playing in Infuse and continue watching it in an overlay that appears on top of your apps and Home screens. To enter this mode, tap the Picture in Picture icon on the iOS player.

Infuse 5 for iOS iPad screenshot 005

While DRM-protected movies and television shows purchased from the iTunes Store are not supported, a host of other media file types that don’t work on Apple platforms out of the box are, including:

  • Video: 3GP, AVI, ASF, DIVX, DVR-MS, FLV, M4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, M2TS, MTS, OGM, OGV, TS, WEBM, WMV, WTV
  • Audio: AAC, AC3/E-AC3, DOLBY TRUEHD, DTS/DTS-HD, FLAC, MP3, OGG, WMA
  • Subtitles: DVB, DVDSUB, PGS, SMI, SSA/ASS, SRT, SUB, TIMED TEXT, VOB, SUB, XSUB

Infuse uses TMDb and TheTVDB for media metadata and artwork.

Infuse 5 for tvOS Apple TV screenshot 001

In addition to supporting the aforementioned media types, Infuse 5 now permits you to browse, stream and download your videos and other files from anywhere by storing them in the cloud. The app supports a variety of popular cloud services, including Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive.

Infuse 5 for iOS iPad screenshot 007

Other notable enhancements in Infuse 5 include overhauled video playback, automatic subtitle downloads and support for iOS Document Picker extensions.

Here’s the full list of changes in Infuse 5.

New:

  • Native Split View and Picture in Picture on iPad
  • iCloud based libraries let you keep shares, favorites, metadata corrections and playback settings in sync between all your devices.
  • Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive cloud streaming
  • Automatic subtitle downloads for synced files
  • Import directly from other apps (iCloud, DS File, Dropbox, etc…) via iOS Document Picker
  • Automatic loading of the first unwatched episode
  • General settings are now included in iCloud backups
  • New button layout on ticket
  • Optional user/password authentication for browser uploads
  • Added Ukrainian translation (thanks Alexandr!)

Improved

  • Many, many improvements and optimizations for iOS 10
  • Much improved VC-1 video playback
  • Many general playback improvements
  • Minor performance improvements for subtitle rendering
  • Many other minor improvements

Fixed

  • Correct handling of system level zoom
  • TV Show folders remain after last video is deleted
  • Fixed issues with certain Blu-ray videos not opening
  • Fixed issues with certain WMV files
  • Fixed timing for embedded SRT subtitles
  • Fix for missing watched indicator after metadata reload
  • Fix for incorrect aspect ratio on certain movies
  • Fix for playback issues related to files with edited out commercials
  • Fix for chapter tracks listed as subtitles
  • Fix for a long buffering on certain movies
  • Fix for missing Hebrew subtitles
  • Fix for browser uploads in Safari
  • Fix for crashes when uploading files via FTP
  • Many other minor fixes

Infuse has long been my go-to app when it comes to playing “foreign” video file types (MKV, AVI, WMV, etc.) on my iOS and Apple TV devices because it transcodes media to iOS-friendly formats on the fly, directly on the device, without needing to use a server app running on a computer.

Infuse 5 for iOS iPad screenshot 010

It’s also one of the very few media players on the App Store that properly renders subtitles via AirPlay. To learn more about Infuse, check out the official website or see everything that’s been enhanced, improved, new and fixed in official release notes.

Note that Infuse 5 is being released as a brand new app.

Infuse 5 for tvOS Apple TV screenshot 005

Infuse 5 for iOS is a free download from the App Store with optional Pro features available as a subscription at $6.99 per year or as a standalone paid app with a one-time $12.99 In-App Purchase. Infuse for tvOS is available free in the tvOS App Store.

To celebrate Infuse 5 launch, they’re letting everyone download the app and try all the Pro features for an entire month at no charge whatsoever. “If you love it (and we know you will) you can continue for just $6.99 per year,” developers note.