Astell&Kern PD10 DAP with Docking Cradle - Coming Soon

[JasonNYC]

There is no V-Link app on PD10?

The V-Link app was not included on the PD10 because the PD10 supports installing the actual YouTube and YouTube Music apps. Currently they are not available in the download tab, but you can manually install the APKs for both apps obtained from another source, such as APKPure or APK Mirror.

 

[ew014042]

The V-Link app was not included on the PD10 because the PD10 supports installing the actual YouTube and YouTube Music apps. Currently they are not available in the download tab, but you can manually install the APKs for both apps obtained from another source, such as APKPure or APK Mirror.

Really? This will be good news. There is no need to waste this beautiful HD screen.

 

[baneand]

I have a question related to apps and accessing music files over local network storage using smb (Samba) or WebDAV servers - this might be general a&k software question but I liked this device so wanted to check if the current "closed" android on a&k has an app which is supporting these two types of servers to access over network? I am not interested in DLNA.

On open android there are many apps which can do this, for example USB Audio Player which I use when I play music through my phone using dongle dac.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

I have a question related to apps and accessing music files over local network storage using smb (Samba) or WebDAV servers - this might be general a&k software question but I liked this device so wanted to check if the current "closed" android on a&k has an app which is supporting these two types of servers to access over network? I am not interested in DLNA.

On open android there are many apps which can do this, for example USB Audio Player which I use when I play music through my phone using dongle dac.

I wasn't aware that the new A&K PD10 used closed Android OS; I thought it was open with a custom skin, and an audio API pipeline to bypass Android audio resampling (like FiiO Android devices).

Can someone, or A&K, clarify?

If the PD10 does indeed use open Android, or have access to the Google Play Store, then you're all good on using apps you like!

Edit #1: As I could not find definitive information or reliable sources, I decided to edit this post.
As I understand it, the PD10 uses Crimson UI built around Android (possibly version 10?), but there was no confirmation of access to Google Play Store.
You can sideload Android app APK's, so this could be a workaround, but for regular updates and whatnot, I'm not entirely sure how this will work in the long term.
I await Astell & Kern to clarify clearly if the PD10 is using a custom Android OS with access to Google Play Store, or closed and requires sideloading of optional apps.

Edit #2: Astell & Kern have confirmed that the PD10 runs a custom closed Android system, with option for sideloading.
Android SRC is bypassed regardless.
The new Astell & Kern SP4000 is currently the first and only A&K device with open Android OS.

 

[baneand]

I wasn't aware that the new A&K PD10 used closed Android OS; I thought it was open with a custom skin, and an audio API pipeline to bypass Android audio resampling (like FiiO Android devices).

Can someone, or A&K, clarify?

If the PD10 does indeed use open Android, or have access to the Google Play Store, then you're all good on using apps you like!

great if that is the case

 

[TheOneInYellow]

great if that is the case

I've updated my post.

I could not find transparent or clear information regarding PD10 OS.

We will need to wait for A&K to clarify, especially regarding access or not to Google Play Store.

 

[JasonNYC]

I've updated my post.

I could not find transparent or clear information regarding PD10 OS.

We will need to wait for A&K to clarify, especially regarding access or not to Google Play Store.

No access to Google Play Store. PD10 is running the same UI 4 that other current AK players are running. All of our players with UI 4 do bypass Android soc and provide bit-perfext playback of hi-res audio for supported whitelisted apps.

The SP4000 is the only player that currently has open Android and Google Play Store available.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

No access to Google Play Store. PD10 is running the same UI 4 that other current AK players are running. All of our players with UI 4 do bypass Android soc and provide bit-perfext playback of hi-res audio for supported whitelisted apps.

The SP4000 is the only player that currently has open Android and Google Play Store available.

Ah that's where I may have gotten confused; it's the recently announced SP4000 that's open Android!

Thank you for the clarification, very much appreciated!

 

[JasonNYC]

I have a question related to apps and accessing music files over local network storage using smb (Samba) or WebDAV servers - this might be general a&k software question but I liked this device so wanted to check if the current "closed" android on a&k has an app which is supporting these two types of servers to access over network? I am not interested in DLNA.

On open android there are many apps which can do this, for example USB Audio Player which I use when I play music through my phone using dongle dac.

Currently, only DLNA would be supported as there are no apps that are whitelisted for the PD10 that support smb or WebDAV. That could change in the future, but there is no confirmed date on if/when that might happen.

 

[Nomax]

So the long runtime of a battery charge is really a great strength of the PD10

NOMAX

PS.A real exception