Apple has joined the Alliance for Open Media that aims to create a next-generation and open video format called AV1, according to a report by CNET. Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Netflix and others were already members.

Next-gen AV1 video format
With Apple onboard, the Alliance for Open Media now has every major web company under its wings. The alliance’s website was updated on Wednesday to reflect that Apple has joined as a founding member.

- “The Alliance for Open Media brings together the leading experts in the entire video stack to work together in pursuit of open, royalty-free and interoperable solutions for the next generation of video delivery,” the alliance said when it was announced in September 2015.

Others members include Amazon, ARM, Cisco, Facebook, Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, and Nvidia. Together, the companies are working on a next-generation video format dubbed AV1 that will be open and royalty-free. 

While Apple has chosen HEVC as the video compression format for 4K UHD video, Google is betting on its own VP9 format. The AV1 format is expected to supercede the industry standard, but costly, HEVC format as well as Google’s royalty-free VP9.

Mozilla has said that AV1 cuts file sizes by 25-35% compared to HEVC and VP9. It also includes specifications for content encryption and more.

The alliance has been working on AV1 for more than 2 years and a first version is expected to be finalized this year. With support from all major players, AV1 looks poised to take over in the near future.

- Source: Alliance for Open Media via CNET