How can viewers access subtitles inside our Apps?

There are basically two types of subtitle UIs:

1. In App

2. Through the Operating System of the device

Per default, the Lightcast apps and OVP support the device OS’s subtitle features. This is the most common and recommended solution (Version 2). A few publishers also built a button into certain apps (Version 1), but primarily, because at the time they started on OTT platforms, the device’s Operating Systems did not have subtitle features built-in yet.

Many publishers who once had in-app subtitle controls have since sunset those features in older app versions, since:
1. the Operating Systems are now taking these functionalities over, which provides much more flexibility to publishers,
2. faster deployment on new platforms and devices
3. and a simplified user experience (as all apps on a platform are working consistently).

What this means is simply that users who use a specific device (most users only use one type of streaming player or SmartTV), instantly know how subtitles work on every new app they download and install on their device, and do not have to learn new in-app navigation, trying to find where subtitles are and how they are switched.

Unlike viewers who usually stick to 1 or 2 devices and know-how subtitles are controlled via the OS on those devices across all apps that support subtitles, publishers check out how it works differently on 3, 4 or more devices, having to learn how the OS UIs are controlled via remote control on each platform. This is not something end-users/viewers deal with, as they usually know the OS functionalities of the one device they keep using. It may happen that for some viewers, the OS’s subtitle functionality may be new and they are figuring it out for the first time after downloading your app, but the majority of viewers is probably already familiar with how it works from hundreds of other apps in the app store which behave consistently as they use the OS subtitle controls.