AVPlayer

AVPlayer is a component of Apple's AVFoundation framework that provides playback of time-based audiovisual media on Apple platforms. It coordinates playback by managing AVPlayerItem instances, which wrap AVAsset resources such as local files or network streams. AVPlayer itself does not render video; developers attach it to a rendering layer or controller, such as AVPlayerLayer or AVPlayerViewController, to display video content.

The player supports a range of resource types, including local files, HTTP progressive streams, and adaptive formats such as HLS. It can handle multiple tracks within an asset, including video, audio, and subtitles, and supports features for external playback via AirPlay and picture-in-picture on supported devices. AVPlayer is designed to work with both live streams and on-demand content, automatically adapting to network conditions when using adaptive streaming.

Playback is controlled through methods and properties such as play, pause, seek(to:), and the time-based rate property that adjusts playback speed. Time and status can be observed via key-value observing on properties like currentItem, timeControlStatus, and currentTime, and developers typically respond to notifications such as AVPlayerItemDidPlayToEndTime. AVPlayer items can be observed for status changes, loaded time ranges, and playback progress.

In practical use, AVPlayer is integrated with user interfaces through AVPlayerLayer for custom views or AVPlayerViewController for a ready-made playback interface. It is widely used in video and streaming applications on iOS, macOS, and tvOS, often in conjunction with AVAsset/AVURLAsset for resource creation and with AVPlayerItem for lifecycle and playback control.