iOS Widevine CDM allows you to use Widevine DRM protection technology on iOS devices if your solution fully relies on Google. Read more from the article.

Widevine on iOS

In the What is DRM? article, we recommend to use native DRM on each client platform. For iOS, it is Apple FairPlay. With CMAF, it is possible to encode and protect the video once and use it on different platforms with DASH or HLS and with Widevine, FairPlay, or PlayReady. However, if you have a solution fully relying on Google Widevine, you can use Widevine on iOS devices using a piece of software from Google called iOS Widevine CDM. With this software, you can play DASH videos protected with Widevine on iOS devices.

Warning
Google announced that Widevine CDM for iOS is now End of Life from 01 January 2024 onwards and no longer maintained.

More information regarding the announcment about Widevine CDM for iOS, End of Life as below:

  • No client updates will be issued for the Widevine iOS CDM.

  • No updates have been issued for the Widevine iOS CDM in over 2 years.

  • No further integrations of the iOS CDM are approved.

  • Widevine will not be revoking this L3 CDM client.

  • There are no changes to existing iOS CDM usage.

How to Get iOS Widevine CDM?

Google does only provide iOS Widevine CDM to the so-called Certified Widevine Implementation Partners (CWIP). This is to ensure the quality and security of the built solutions. You can find a list of CWIP as well as the requirements to become a CWIP on the Widevine website: https://www.widevine.com/training#partners. Axinom is one of the CWIP and has experience with integrating and maintaining the iOS Widevine CDM.

If you are interested in getting an application built using the Widevine iOS SDK, Axinom is ready to build an application for you. You can contact Axinom Support to further discuss your requirements and to receive an offer.

The other option is for you to become a CWIP yourself, obtain the SDK directly from Google and develop the application with minimal Axinom involvement.

Revision History

The table below lists the document versions and any changes to them.

Version Date Description

1.0

December 18, 2020

  • Initial version.

1.1

April 08, 2021

  • Google iOS Widevine CDM version update

1.2

July 13, 2021

  • Widevine CDM version update, 14.x removed

1.3

March 22.2023

  • Widevine CDM versions removed.