Do Son 
From Standard to Real-World Testing
The Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) says the AV2 video codec is gaining rapid adoption across the video ecosystem. The format is leaving the drafting table and entering tests in browsers and streaming platforms.
Google has already demonstrated AV2 playback in Chrome. Its video site, YouTube, now plans to offer AV2 video on the web in early 2027, according to VideoCardz.
What AV2 Aims to Deliver
AV2 is an open video coding standard from AOMedia. It succeeds the AV1 codec. An encoder compresses video to cut the data needed for storage and transmission. Then a decoder on the playback device or software restores the picture.
Better Compression
AOMedia says AV2 improves compression efficiency by 30 percent over AV1. The goal is better picture quality at the same bandwidth. Alternatively, the codec can hold similar quality at lower bandwidth.
Beyond Simple Video on Demand
AV2 also supports multiple video streams and multi-view content. Its extensions target real-time communication, immersive media, high frame rates, and HDR.
These features suit multi-view live streams, video conferencing, and immersive imaging. In short, the specification reaches beyond plain video on demand.
YouTube Sets a Date, Others Still Evaluate
YouTube has confirmed that AV2-encoded video will arrive on the web in early 2027. Users with supported browsers and devices will then be able to play it.
Other platforms are less far along. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are still evaluating AV2 support. Once they finish, they may roll out AV2 video on different devices over time.
The Hardware Catch
Not all hardware includes an AV2 hardware decoder. At the time of writing, no major consumer hardware supports AV2 hardware decoding.
Without hardware decoding, playback falls back to software decoding. Software decoding performs noticeably worse than hardware decoding. Overall power consumption may also rise.
Support Our Threat Intelligence
Find our tech and OS security coverage helpful? Support our work today and unlock a 100% ad-free reading experience!
Buy Me a Coffee
