After four years in development limbo, classic media player Winamp is getting a major revamp. According to TechCrunch, the software will re-launch as a dedicated audio player for iOS, Android and desktop, which will serve as a portal for songs and podcasts from all sources.
Winamp was the creation of two student programmers from the University of Utah, Justin Frankel and Dmitry Boldyrev, who released the first version in 1997. The following year Frankel founded his own software company, Nullsoft, and continued development until 1999, when the company was acquired by AOL.
AOL developed Winamp until 2013, when it announced that it would be shutting down the software's website and ending support. However, this closure never happened, and in 2014 Winamp was acquired by online radio platform Radionomy.
All your music, anywhere
Rumors of a new update have swirled in the years since, but now it seems the software is finally about to receive some love.
"There will be a completely new version next year, with the legacy of Winamp but a more complete listening experience," explained Alexandre Saboundjian, CEO of Radionomy. "You can listen to the MP3s you may have at home, but also to the cloud, to podcasts, to streaming radio stations, to a playlist you perhaps have built."
The desktop version of Winamp is getting a small update this week to stamp out a few bugs, and the new app is expected to land in 2019.
