Oh, the bittersweet nostalgia of MX Player Pro—a story of how an app went from love at first swipe to “Ugh, why?” Let me take you on my little journey with MX Player Pro Version 1.26.7, aka the golden era of video playback, and why I’m still mourning its downfall every time I open the newer versions.
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Back in the Day…
So, let’s rewind to when I first discovered MX Player Pro on my Samsung Galaxy Tab S4. I mean, this app was the holy grail for video players. The clean, intuitive interface made me feel like a tech genius even though I was just binge-watching sitcoms. It had everything—easy subtitle changes, smooth playback, and just the right amount of features without overwhelming you. Version 1.26.7 was the MVP, no doubt.
- See also: MX Player Custom Codec [AC3, DTS, MLP, TrueHD, and more]
Fast forward to when the updates started rolling in. I upgraded to V1.34.7 thinking, “Hey, an update should mean better stuff, right?” Wrong. It’s like they decided to mess with all the things that made the app awesome.
First Impressions of the Update: Meh
The first thing that hit me was the new UI. It wasn’t just different; it was awkward. I remember trying to change subtitles during a movie, and instead of the seamless experience I’d gotten used to, the screen turned black. Black! I felt like the app was punishing me for wanting to understand what the characters were saying. And don’t even get me started on how clunky the RGB 32-bit color format became—it just stopped working! At that point, I was tempted to yeet my tablet across the room (but, you know, budget constraints).
Emails, Hope, and Disappointment
I’m not one to rant without giving people a chance to fix things, so I reached out to MX Player Pro’s support team. I sent them a detailed email—we’re talking bullet points, screenshots, the works. Their response? A polite acknowledgment and a reference ticket. Cool, I thought, they’re on it.
But then came their follow-up: “Could you describe what makes it difficult to select subtitles?” Um, how about everything? The new layout hid important options under three-dot menus that took up way too much screen space, and floating menus were slow and clunky. And the worst part? They seemed more focused on defending the new design than actually fixing the issues. Like, I’m all for change when it’s good, but this felt like a downgrade wrapped in a prettier (but impractical) package.
Old vs. New
Feature | Version 1.26.7 | Newer Versions (e.g., V1.34.7) |
---|---|---|
Subtitle Changes | Pauses video; subtitle box appears in the center. | Floating list appears while video plays; distracting. |
Decoder Options | Easily switch via top menu icon. | Hidden under three-dot menu; slower to access. |
Settings Interface | Compact and optimized for tablets. | Takes up half the screen; forces portrait mode. |
Menu Navigation | Quick access with static menus. | Menus float in; feels slow and takes up screen space. |
Today’s MX Player Pro: A Hot Mess
Now we’re at V1.86.0, and honestly, it’s like the developers doubled down on everything that annoyed me in V1.34.7. They’ve added more unnecessary features, making the app feel bloated. It’s like a pizza with too many toppings; sure, it’s got everything, but it’s also falling apart.
And let’s talk subtitles—because I watch a lot of foreign films. The app still can’t handle certain right-to-left (RTL) subtitles correctly, displaying them as left-to-right instead. I mean, if other video players can nail this, why can’t MX Player Pro? It’s like they’re stuck in their own subtitle twilight zone.
A Plea to Developers
All I want is the simplicity and functionality of V1.26.7 back. Clean UI, responsive controls, and none of the bloat. Maybe throw in a few bug fixes (like that RGB color issue), but otherwise, just let it be the rockstar app it used to be. I’d even pay for a premium “Classic” version if that’s what it takes.
So, if you’re reading this, MX Player Pro devs, do us loyal users a solid and bring back the app we fell in love with. Until then, I’ll be sticking to my outdated-but-still-awesome V1.26.7 and hoping for a miracle.