Background

GoatBytes.IO is a software company founded by Jared Rummler and based in Southern California. It specializes in software modernization and has extensive experience in entertainment and media technology. When Brightcove approached GoatBytes.IO, the company was in search of talented Android engineers who could help maintain and modernize their SDK.

Problem

Brightcove, a leading streaming video platform, faced a challenge in finding skilled Android engineers to maintain and modernize their decade old SDK, implement audio playback, and add new features such as integrating the AndroidX media3 library, re-architecting playback to support Android 13 media style notifications, improving their Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) solution, and integrating Open Measurement. With an increasing demand for high-quality video playback solutions and a need to stay up-to-date with the latest technology, Brightcove required a reliable partner to help them achieve their goals.

Solution

GoatBytes.IO provided Brightcove with an experienced Android engineering team who were able to address these challenges. They began by re-architecting the SDK to bring it up-to-date with Android 13 and adding support for audio-only playback. The team also successfully integrated OMID into Brightcove's proprietary SSAI plugin, enabling third-party verification of served ads.

The SDK underwent a significant re-architecture to modernize and improve its functionality. GoatBytes.IO engineers helped Brightcove integrate the AndroidX media3 library, re-architect playback to support Android 13 media style notifications, and make improvements to SSAI. In addition, the SDK's build process was refactored to integrate Gradle's Kotlin DSL with continuous integration and deployment. The engineers also refactored complex build logic by implementing version catalogs to manage dependencies. These enhancements helped to streamline the development process and improve the SDK's overall quality.

Results

As a result of GoatBytes.IO's work, the Brightcove Native SDK for Android underwent significant modernization, and several new features were added. The SDK is now up-to-date with the latest Android version, and audio-only playback is supported. The integration of OMID allows for third-party verification of served ads, providing greater transparency and accuracy in ad measurement. The refactored build process has improved development and release efficiency.

The partnership between Brightcove and GoatBytes.IO is ongoing, and Brightcove continues to see improvements to their native playback solutions.

Conclusion

GoatBytes.IO's expertise in Android development and software modernization has helped Brightcove maintain its position as a leading video streaming platform. The successful modernization of the Brightcove Native SDK for Android has improved its functionality and efficiency, providing better user experiences for app developers and end-users alike. As a result of this partnership, Brightcove can continue to offer innovative and reliable video streaming solutions to its customers.