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# iOS Player SDK: preload and precache for instant playback

> The FastPix iOS Player SDK can now preload and precache upcoming playlist items for near-instant playback, and moves its default endpoints to fastpix.com.

The FastPix iOS Player SDK can now preload and precache upcoming playlist items for near-instant playback, and its default endpoints have moved to `fastpix.com`.

What's new:

* **Preload upcoming items**: a new `PreloadManager` (`PreloadManager.shared`) warms upcoming playlist items in the background using a shadow `AVPlayer`, buffering `AVPlayerItem` instances before the viewer navigates. Query state with `preloadStatus(forVideo:)`, hand off a warmed item with `consumePreloadedItem(for:)`, and cancel in-flight work with `clearAll()` in `deinit`. A `PreloadManagerDelegate` reports start, ready, fail, cancel, and auto-advance events.

* **Precache HLS segments to disk**: a new `PrecacheManager` (`PrecacheManager.shared`) downloads HLS segments to local disk and serves them on subsequent playback for lower startup latency. Start with `startPrecaching(url:)`, stop with `stopAllPrecaching()`, and track cache hits and misses via `PrecacheManagerDelegate`. DRM-protected items are excluded from precaching since their segments are encrypted; preloading still applies to them.

* **Automatic in playlists**: preloading and precaching re-trigger on `next()`, `previous()`, `jumpTo()`, and `FastPixPlaylistStateChanged` to keep the preload window ahead of the current position. Works with token-protected streams, custom domains, and playlist-based playback.

* **Default hosts moved to fastpix.com**: the HLS playback (`stream.fastpix.com`), DRM license and certificate (`api.fastpix.com`), and spritesheet/poster (`images.fastpix.com`) defaults migrated from `.io`. If you rely on the defaults, upgrading is enough; the `.io` hosts still work but are slated for deprecation.

* **Stability**: a code-standardization pass across the SDK and an updated iOS Data Core dependency.