WinAmp

Apr 25, 2023

Home » Technology » The Winamp media player returns, resurrected by a Belgian company byarchywordys No Comments The Winamp music player resists. Unlike other popular services of its generation (Encarta or MSN) which have disappeared, it is making a strong comeback with a new version for 2023. To become a hub for online audio content, this is Winamp’s ambition for its new version just launched. Despite its 25 years of existence, it still has 83 million monthly users today and intends to reinvent itself to continue to exist, reports an article by Fast Company. Despite a still large user base, Winamp has experienced a decline over the years. This new version is therefore an attempt by the Brussels group Llama Group (owner of Winamp) to capitalize on a young audience, which is not always familiar with the first versions of the application. The idea is to bring together audio files, streaming on Spotify, radios, podcasts, audio books,… In short, everything you listen to, in a single application. “In the past, it was in Winamp’s DNA to play any format, so we tried to keep the same spirit with the current player to access all audio services”, explains Thierry Ascarez, commercial director of Winamp, quoted by Fast Company. An application owned by a Belgian group The Winamp application, founded in early 2000 in the United States, first became famous for playing all types of audio files on a computer. After a phase of decline, it was bought in 2014 by Radionomy, a Belgian startup founded in 2008, which allowed users to listen to and create radio stations online. After several restructurings, the Radionomy company finally became Llama Group. Still based in Brussels, the group now owns Winamp as well as three other companies also linked to the world of music. Launched on April 13, the application is currently only available in Web version, on computer and on mobile and with limited functionalities. The company plans to release an IOS and Android version in the third quarter of 2023. A Windows and MacOS version will follow soon after. An innovative feature: The Fanzone Latest novelty, the Fanzone. Like Patreon, Winamp intends to eventually include in its service a feature aimed at connecting users and artists by allowing the purchase of derivative products or NFTs. Winamp would thus earn money by taking a commission on the transactions carried out. With this service, she hopes to allow artists to be better paid while ensuring lasting economic stability. Is the traditional version of Winamp still online. And it will remain so, even when the new audio player applications are available. It will therefore always be possible to use it to listen to MP3 files, like the old fashioned way. Although, contrary to what one might think, the application is in fact mainly used to listen to the radio. Winamp therefore does not intend to force its users to switch to the new version, the objective is rather to give them the choice by offering services as varied as possible. written by Louis Domine.