Client-side predictive caching for content

A system, comprising:

• a computing device;
• and
• a caching system executable in the computing device, wherein when executed the caching system causes the computing device to at least:
• determine a content item to be cached for a user in a client cache, the client cache including a plurality of cache segments, wherein the content item is selected for a first one of the plurality of cache segments based at least in part on whether the content item is playable by the user via a current user interface rendered by a content access application, the content item is selected for a second one of the plurality of cache segments based at least in part on whether the content item has been played previously by the user, and the content item is selected for a third one of the plurality of cache segments based at least in part on whether the content item is predicted to be played by the user;
• obtain an initial portion of the content item and metadata associated with the content item from at least one other computing device prior to the user explicitly indicating that use of the content item is desired;
• and
• perform processing relative to the metadata to prepare the computing device for the use of the content item prior to the user explicitly indicating that the use of the content item is desired.

A method, comprising:

• determining, in a first client computing device, a content item to be cached in a client cache associated with a user, the client cache having a plurality of cache segments, wherein the content item is selected for a first one of the plurality of cache segments based at least in part on whether the content item is playable by the user via a current user interface rendered by a content access application, the content item is selected for a second one of the plurality of cache segments based at least in part on whether the content item has been played previously by the user, and the content item is selected for a third one of the plurality of cache segments based at least in part on whether the content item is predicted to be played by the user;
• and
• in response to determining the content item and before the user commences use of the content item via the first client computing device:
• obtaining, in the first client computing device, metadata for the content item from a second client computing device via a local network connection;
• obtaining, in the first client computing device, an initial portion of the content item from the second client computing device via the local network connection;
• and
• initializing resources of the first client computing device to facilitate instantaneous use of the content item based at least in part on the metadata and the initial portion of the content item.