Adobe Launches New Video Player

Adobe Media Player will attempt to strengthen Flash's existing hold on web video.

Seeking to cement its role in distributing internet video, Adobe Systems Inc. announced Monday that it will release its new Adobe Media Player software as a free download to the public later this year.

Adobe’s Flash technology is already widely used to provide streaming video on sites such as YouTube and MySpace. Adobe Media Player aims to bolster the format by offering superior quality, the ability to download video, full-screen playback, a viewer-rating system, and tools for unearthing new content on the web.

“Adobe Flash has revolutionized the distribution of video content across the Internet and Adobe Media Player builds on this leadership position,” said Bruce Chizen, chief executive officer at Adobe in a statement.

Besides offering end users more options, Adobe also hopes to entice content providers with more flexible modes for delivery, heightened security, and options for branding the player according to the content it plays.

Adobe Media Player will be based on Adobe’s new Apollo architecture, which was designed as an environment to bring previously web-only Flash content to the desktop. It will initially be offered for both Windows and Mac operating systems, with a Linux version in the works.

Adobe broke the news and demonstrated its new player with a preview at the National Association of Broadcasters trade show in Las Vegas.