With the coming of Windows 10 Anniversary update Microsoft announced it’s Desktop Bridge (Project Centennial) feature which would allow regular desktop applications to be converted to UWP app without any real code changes. With this you would gain access to Windows Store to provide easy distribution and several other bonussen like UWP APIs access. We as Team Kodi looked at this with some disbelief and never thought it would work for Kodi due to the complexity and hardware usage for audio and video playback. It was not long after their announcement a Microsoft representative contacted us asking us to be part of the Windows Store using this Desktop App Converter as they successfully converted Kodi into a UWP app. We were quite shocked that it was that easy and of course gladly accepted this cooperation to get this done.
The proces
We actively worked together with the Microsoft developers to further improve this Desktop App Converter and the process involved around it which should make it easier for other developers to convert applications in the future. While the initial converted version was done on Kodi v16 which worked straight away we as team wanted to start with V17 as first Store version. With Kodi v17 there were some problems to get it even started up so that needed a bit of work to find out why. In Desktop Bridge there are some minors restrictions and with our big code cleanup we hit this restriction. With the help of the Microsoft representative and developers we identified what the problem was and with some code changes on our side we were back in business again. All we had to do now was wait for the final launch date when this became available for the wider public. We even received some helpful pointers to fix a problem we were facing and didn’t really know where to start. So we would certainly like to thank them for their help and hopefully work some more in the future.
The benefits
So what this mean for users you might wonder? Well to start with it’s still the same Kodi version you are used to without any limitations. Additionally you don’t really have to go to our website anymore but straight away install Kodi from the Windows Store and automatically receive any future updates automatically. For us developers the added benefit is we’ll possible get some crash logs in case they happen and we could use these to identify problems and include fixes in next update. Added bonus even is that it currently even uses the same userdata as if you had installed the normal Kodi version downloaded from our https://kodi.tv website. So be careful if you don’t want to upgrade to Kodi v17 just yet!
Sadly Desktop Bridge doesn’t make it possible to run Kodi on anything else but a Windows 10 desktop computer or Surface. Getting Kodi running as a true UWP app which would allow to install on other devices is still a long way to go and requires quite a few changes before that becomes a possibility. Though the step just made is certainly one in the right direction and we’ll certainly try to get there eventually as making the circle back to the XBOX would complete our journey where it all started….
How to get it
Well obviously in the Windows Store and search for Kodi! Or you can click this link and go straight to the store page itself. Yes it’s still free as we’ll never ask for money.
For now we have added our Kodi v17 beta 2 to the store and will continue updating it till the final release comes. Afterwards we’ll just stick to final releases so you don’t need to worry about getting potential unstable builds afterwards. For those who don’t use the store you can still download the Windows version of Kodi from our official download page.
Don’t forget we also have some official tablet/phone remote controls for both Android and iOS which you can use to control every Kodi version in your home. You can find the links to them on the download page.
Donations or getting involved
Getting involved is quite easy. Simply take the plunge and start using these 17.0 Krypton builds. If you use these builds, we encourage you to report problems with these builds on our forum first and after that, if asked, submit bugs on Trac (following this guide: How to submit a bug report). Do note that we need detailed information so we can investigate the issue. We also appreciate providing support in our Forums where you can. You can of course also follow or help promote Kodi on all available social networks. Read more on the get involved page.
We are always happy to receive a donation by which you show your support and appreciation, and t-shirts and Raspberry Pi cases may still be found on the sidebar for purchase. All donations and other income goes towards the XBMC foundation and are typically used for travel to attend conferences, any necessary paperwork and legal fees, purchasing necessary hardware and licenses for developers and hopefully the yearly XBMC Foundation Developers Conference.
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