How headless OTT works
The head is the part viewers see. A headless platform removes it: every function a front end needs, such as listing the catalog, signing a viewer in, checking what they may watch and returning a playback address, is an API call. Your developers design and build the interface and call those APIs.
What you gain and what you take on
- Gain: complete freedom over design and interaction on every screen
- Gain: the ability to embed video in an existing product or app
- Take on: building and maintaining an app for each device platform
- Take on: store submissions, player integration and DRM on every device
- Take on: keeping pace with yearly changes to each platform
Headless vs ready-made apps
A platform with ready-made, brandable apps launches in weeks and needs no app developers. A headless platform suits a company that already has a product team and a specific experience in mind, or that is adding video to something that already exists.
Many platforms offer both: finished apps for most customers, and APIs for those who want to build part of the experience themselves.
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