how do Nokia video trimmer and Moliplayer have accrss to videos?

Question

As it is known, developers can't have access to stored videos on the phone https://stackoverflow.com/a/13473349

But Nokia products and surprisingly a third party app, moliplayer, have access to it?

It seems that whatsApp is also in the same ship. What is happening here? I feel I'm coming from the past!

the question is: can we have access to video files?

Answer 1

As mentioned in the comments, Windows Phone handset manufacturers and licensees (OEMs) have special permission to use certain features of the phone that 3rd party developers cannot. This has been the case since the launch of the Windows Phone platform.

MoliPlayer is one of those rare exceptions where a 3rd party is able to access a private APIs that other developers cannot. For Windows Phone 7, the Spotify app has a technical exception.

WhatsApp has also been allowed to use private APIs, which allows it access videos from the Media Library.

In the meantime, all we can do as developers is give Microsoft our feedback through their UserVoice forum, then get as many votes as possible to show there is a valid need for this feature.