diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/initializePage.js b/app/assets/javascripts/initializePage.js
index b467a015f..9fd341b0a 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/initializePage.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/initializePage.js
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
   initializeCommentPreview,
   initializeTimeFixer, initializeDashboardSort, initializePWAFunctionality,
   initializeEllipsisMenu, initializeArchivedPostFilter, initializeCreditsPage,
-  initializeUserProfilePage, initializePodcastPlayback, initializeDrawerSliders,
+  initializeUserProfilePage, initializePodcastPlayback,
+  initializeVideoPlayback, initializeDrawerSliders,
   initializeHeroBannerClose, initializeOnboardingTaskCard, initScrolling,
   nextPage:writable, fetching:writable, done:writable, adClicked:writable,
   initializePaymentPointers, initializeSpecialNavigationFunctionality, initializeBroadcast,
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ function callInitializers() {
   initializeCreditsPage();
   initializeUserProfilePage();
   initializePodcastPlayback();
+  initializeVideoPlayback();
   initializeDrawerSliders();
   initializeHeroBannerClose();
   initializeOnboardingTaskCard();
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/initializers/initializeVideoPlayback.js b/app/assets/javascripts/initializers/initializeVideoPlayback.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4b704030c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/initializers/initializeVideoPlayback.js
@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
+/**
+ * This script hunts for video tags and initializes the correct player
+ * depending on the platform:
+ * - web: jwplayer
+ * - iOS/Android: Native player
+ *
+ * Once jwplayer is initialized there's no follow up actions to be taken.
+ * Mobile Native players send back information into the DOM in order to
+ * interact and update the UI, therefore a MutationObserver is registered.
+ */
+
+/* eslint no-use-before-define: 0 */
+/* eslint no-param-reassign: 0 */
+/* eslint no-useless-escape: 0 */
+/* global jwplayer */
+
+function initializeVideoPlayback() {
+  var nativeBridgeMessage;
+  var currentTime = '0';
+
+  function getById(name) {
+    return document.getElementById(name);
+  }
+
+  function isNativeIOS() {
+    return (
+      navigator.userAgent === 'DEV-Native-ios' &&
+      window &&
+      window.webkit &&
+      window.webkit.messageHandlers &&
+      window.webkit.messageHandlers.video
+    );
+  }
+
+  function isNativeAndroid() {
+    return (
+      navigator.userAgent === 'DEV-Native-android' &&
+      typeof AndroidBridge !== 'undefined' &&
+      AndroidBridge !== null &&
+      AndroidBridge.videoMessage !== undefined
+    );
+  }
+
+  function getParameterByName(name, url) {
+    if (!url) url = window.location.href;
+    name = name.replace(/[\[\]]/g, '\\$&');
+    var regex = new RegExp('[?&]' + name + '(=([^&#]*)|&|#|$)'),
+      results = regex.exec(url);
+    if (!results) return null;
+    if (!results[2]) return '';
+    return decodeURIComponent(results[2].replace(/\+/g, ' '));
+  }
+
+  function timeToSeconds(hms) {
+    var a;
+    if (hms.length < 3) {
+      return hms;
+    } else if (hms.length < 6) {
+      a = hms.split(':');
+      return (hms = +a[0] * 60 + +a[1]);
+    } else {
+      a = hms.split(':');
+      return (hms = +a[0] * 60 * 60 + +a[1] * 60 + +a[2]);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function initWebPlayer(seconds, metadata) {
+    var waitingOnJWP = setInterval(function () {
+      if (typeof jwplayer !== 'undefined') {
+        clearInterval(waitingOnJWP);
+        var playerInstance = jwplayer(`video-player-${metadata.id}`);
+        playerInstance.setup({
+          file: metadata.video_source_url,
+          mediaid: metadata.video_code,
+          autostart: true,
+          image: metadata.video_thumbnail_url,
+          playbackRateControls: true,
+          tracks: [
+            {
+              file: metadata.video_closed_caption_track_url,
+              label: 'English',
+              kind: 'captions',
+              default: false,
+            },
+          ],
+        });
+        if (seconds) {
+          jwplayer().on('ready', function (event) {
+            jwplayer().play();
+          });
+          jwplayer().on('firstFrame', function () {
+            jwplayer().seek(seconds);
+          });
+        }
+      }
+    }, 2);
+  }
+
+  function videoMetadata(videoSource) {
+    try {
+      return JSON.parse(videoSource.dataset.meta);
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.log('Unable to load Podcast Episode metadata', e); // eslint-disable-line no-console
+    }
+  }
+
+  function requestFocus() {
+    var metadata = videoMetadata(videoSource);
+    var playerElement = getById(`video-player-${metadata.id}`);
+
+    getById('pause-butt').classList.add('active');
+    getById('play-butt').classList.remove('active');
+
+    nativeBridgeMessage({
+      action: 'play',
+      url: metadata.video_source_url,
+      seconds: currentTime,
+    });
+  }
+
+  function handleVideoMessages(mutation) {
+    if (mutation.type !== 'attributes') {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    var message = {};
+    try {
+      var messageData = getById('video-player-source').dataset.message;
+      message = JSON.parse(messageData);
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.log(e); // eslint-disable-line no-console
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (message.action == 'pause') {
+      getById('pause-butt').classList.remove('active');
+      getById('play-butt').classList.add('active');
+    } else if (message.action == 'tick') {
+      currentTime = message.currentTime;
+    }
+  }
+
+  function initializePlayer(videoSource) {
+    var seconds = timeToSeconds(getParameterByName('t') || '0');
+    var metadata = videoMetadata(videoSource);
+
+    if (isNativeIOS()) {
+      nativeBridgeMessage = function (message) {
+        try {
+          window.webkit.messageHandlers.video.postMessage(message);
+        } catch (err) {
+          console.log(err.message); // eslint-disable-line no-console
+        }
+      };
+    } else if (isNativeAndroid()) {
+      nativeBridgeMessage = function (message) {
+        try {
+          AndroidBridge.videoMessage(JSON.stringify(message));
+        } catch (err) {
+          console.log(err.message); // eslint-disable-line no-console
+        }
+      };
+    } else {
+      // jwplayer is initialized and no further interaction is needed
+      initWebPlayer(seconds, metadata);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    var playerElement = getById(`video-player-${metadata.id}`);
+    playerElement.addEventListener('click', requestFocus);
+
+    playerElement.classList.add('native');
+    getById('pause-butt').classList.add('active');
+
+    var mutationObserver = new MutationObserver(function (mutations) {
+      mutations.forEach(function (mutation) {
+        handleVideoMessages(mutation);
+      });
+    });
+    mutationObserver.observe(videoSource, { attributes: true });
+
+    currentTime = `${seconds}`;
+    nativeBridgeMessage({
+      action: 'play',
+      url: metadata.video_source_url,
+      seconds: currentTime,
+    });
+  }
+
+  // If an video player element is found initialize it
+  var videoSource = getById('video-player-source');
+  if (videoSource !== null) {
+    initializePlayer(videoSource);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/minimal.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/minimal.scss
index ec320258a..05cd43c6d 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/minimal.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/minimal.scss
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 @import 'tag-edit';
 @import 'sidebar-data';
 @import 'video-collection';
+@import 'video-player';
 @import 'listings';
 @import 'credits';
 @import 'item-list';
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/video-player.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/video-player.scss
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bb0bf4bc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/video-player.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+@import 'variables';
+@import '_mixins';
+
+.crayons-article__video {
+  .crayons-article__video__player {
+    background-position: center;
+    background-size: cover;
+
+    &.native {
+      height: calc(100vw * (9/16)); // Maintain 16:9 ratio
+    }
+
+    img {
+      display: none;
+      width: calc(100vw * (9/16) * (1/2));
+      height: calc((100vw * (9/16) * (1/2)) + (100vw * (9/16) * (1/6)));
+      padding-top: calc(100vw * (9/16) * (1/6));
+      margin: 0 auto;
+
+      &.active {
+        display: block;
+      }
+    }
+
+    // All the calculations are kept exactly the same, except they're scaled
+    // down by (2/3). This because tablets use extra columns and the
+    // calculations are based on viewport size (the columns "don't count")
+    @media screen and (min-width: 640px) {
+      &.native {
+        height: calc(100vw * (9/16) * (2/3));
+      }
+
+      img {
+        width: calc(100vw * (9/16) * (1/2) * (2/3));
+        height: calc((100vw * (9/16) * (1/2) * (2/3)) + (100vw * (9/16) * (1/6) * (2/3)));
+        padding-top: calc(100vw * (9/16) * (1/6) * (2/3));
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/decorators/article_decorator.rb b/app/decorators/article_decorator.rb
index b4f1278b4..e8b838ff0 100644
--- a/app/decorators/article_decorator.rb
+++ b/app/decorators/article_decorator.rb
@@ -70,4 +70,14 @@ class ArticleDecorator < ApplicationDecorator
 
     modified_description + " Tagged with #{cached_tag_list}."
   end
+
+  def video_metadata
+    {
+      id: id,
+      video_code: video_code,
+      video_source_url: video_source_url,
+      video_thumbnail_url: cloudinary_video_url,
+      video_closed_caption_track_url: video_closed_caption_track_url
+    }
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/views/articles/_video_player.html.erb b/app/views/articles/_video_player.html.erb
index 3e297cbb8..eb3296ec0 100644
--- a/app/views/articles/_video_player.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/articles/_video_player.html.erb
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 <div class="crayons-article__video">
   <% minutes, seconds = article.video_duration_in_minutes.split(":") %>
-  <div id="video-player-source" data-source="<%= article.video_source_url %>"></div>
+  <div id="video-player-source" data-meta="<%= article.decorate.video_metadata.to_json %>" data-message=""></div>
   <script src="//content.jwplatform.com/libraries/b1zWy2iv.js" async></script>
-  <div id="video-player-<%= article.id %>" class="crayons-article__video__player"></div>
+  <div id="video-player-<%= article.id %>" class="crayons-article__video__player" style="background-image: url('<%= article.cloudinary_video_url %>');">
+    <img alt="Play Button" id="play-butt" src="<%= image_path("playbutt.png") %>" />
+    <img alt="Pause Button" id="pause-butt" src="<%= image_path("pausebutt.png") %>" />
+  </div>
   <% unless internal_navigation? || user_signed_in? %>
     <script type="application/ld+json">
       {
@@ -12,63 +15,10 @@
         "uploadDate": "<%= article.published_at&.rfc3339 %>",
         "name": "<%= article.title %>",
         "description": "<%= article.description %>",
-        "thumbnailUrl": "<%= cloudinary(article.video_thumbnail_url, 880) %>",
+        "thumbnailUrl": "<%= article.cloudinary_video_url %>",
         "contentUrl": "<%= article.video_source_url %>",
         "duration": "<%= format("PT%<minutes>sM%<seconds>sS", minutes: minutes, seconds: seconds) %>"
       }
     </script>
   <% end %>
 </div>
-
-<script type="text/javascript" async>
-  function getParameterByName(name, url) {
-    if (!url) url = window.location.href;
-    name = name.replace(/[\[\]]/g, "\\$&");
-    var regex = new RegExp("[?&]" + name + "(=([^&#]*)|&|#|$)"),
-      results = regex.exec(url);
-    if (!results) return null;
-    if (!results[2]) return '';
-    return decodeURIComponent(results[2].replace(/\+/g, " "));
-  }
-
-  function timeToSeconds(hms) {
-    if (hms.length < 3) {
-      return hms
-    } else if (hms.length < 6) {
-      var a = hms.split(':')
-      return hms = (+a[0]) * 60 + (+a[1])
-    } else {
-      var a = hms.split(':')
-      return hms = (+a[0]) * 60 * 60 + (+a[1]) * 60 + (+a[2])
-    }
-  }
-
-  var waitingOnJWP<%= article.id %> = setInterval(function () {
-    if (typeof jwplayer !== 'undefined') {
-      clearInterval(waitingOnJWP<%= article.id %>);
-      var playerInstance = jwplayer("video-player-<%= article.id %>");
-      playerInstance.setup({
-        file: "<%= article.video_source_url %>",
-        mediaid: "<%= article.video_code %>",
-        autostart: <%= internal_navigation? %>,
-        image: "<%= cloudinary(article.video_thumbnail_url, 880) %>",
-        playbackRateControls: true,
-        tracks: [{
-          file: "<%= article.video_closed_caption_track_url %>",
-          label: "English",
-          kind: "captions",
-          "default": false
-        }]
-      });
-      var time = getParameterByName('t')
-      if (time) {
-        jwplayer().on('ready', function (event) {
-          jwplayer().play();
-        });
-        jwplayer().on('firstFrame', function () {
-          jwplayer().seek(timeToSeconds(time))
-        });
-      }
-    }
-  }, 2)
-</script>
diff --git a/spec/decorators/article_decorator_spec.rb b/spec/decorators/article_decorator_spec.rb
index 442c3a58c..00a636c68 100644
--- a/spec/decorators/article_decorator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/decorators/article_decorator_spec.rb
@@ -183,4 +183,24 @@ RSpec.describe ArticleDecorator, type: :decorator do
         .description_and_tags).to eq(search_optimized_description_replacement)
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#video_metadata" do
+    it "responds with a hash representation of video metadata" do
+      article_with_video = create(:article,
+                                  video_code: "ABC",
+                                  video_source_url: "https://cdn.com/ABC.m3u8",
+                                  video_thumbnail_url: "https://cdn.com/ABC.png",
+                                  video_closed_caption_track_url: "https://cdn.com/ABC_captions")
+
+      expect(article_with_video.decorate.video_metadata).to eq(
+        {
+          id: article_with_video.id,
+          video_code: article_with_video.video_code,
+          video_source_url: article_with_video.video_source_url,
+          video_thumbnail_url: article_with_video.cloudinary_video_url,
+          video_closed_caption_track_url: article_with_video.video_closed_caption_track_url
+        },
+      )
+    end
+  end
 end