Your browser is not Javascript enable or you have turn it off. We recommend you to activate for better security reasonGoogle, Meta & Netflix's AV1 alliance under EU antitrust investigation - FlatpanelsHD

Google, Meta & Netflix's AV1 alliance under EU antitrust investigation

11 Jul 2022 | Rasmus Larsen |

EU's antitrust regulators are probing the Alliance for Open Media's licensing policy for the AV1 video format, according to a report by Reuters.

The Alliance for Open Media (AOM) was founded in 2016 and includes members such as Amazon, Apple, LG, Google, Meta, Netflix, Microsoft and Samsung. Together they are developing and promoting the royalty-free AV1 video format as an alternative to HEVC (H.265) and VVC (H.266).

EU's watchdog confirmed to Reuters that it is investigating alleged anti-competitive behavior related to the licensing terms by AOM for AV1.

 "The Commission has information that AOM and its members may be imposing licensing terms (mandatory royalty-free cross licensing) on innovators that were not a part of AOM at the time of the creation of the AV1 technical, but whose patents are deemed essential to (its) technical specifications," a questionnaire sent to some companies said.

The letter further said that the licensing terms may restrict other companies' ability to compete with the AV1 video format.


Netflix AV1 streaming

Netflix brought AV1 to mobile in 2020 and to TVs in 2021

AV1 licensing terms

The antitrust investigation may be a result of Google, Netflix and YouTube setting new terms in April 2021, requiring partners to support AV1 in newly launched products including Android TVs, Google TVs and Smart TVs. In April 2021, Roku accused Google of anti-competitive behavior by forcing it to adopt AV1. AV1 is currently supported in hardware in newer TVs from LG, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony and TCL. Netflix and YouTube have both started the transition the AV1 streaming. - Source: Reuters
Sign up for FlatpanelsHD's newsletter

The latest news, in-depth articles, reviews, and exclusives in your inbox.

Latest news
Samsung 83 QD-OLED
09 Nov 2024 | Rasmus Larsen |
Samsung 8K TV
08 Nov 2024 | Rasmus Larsen |
Google TV power on
07 Nov 2024 | Rasmus Larsen |
Edge LED fails faster
06 Nov 2024 | Rasmus Larsen |
Old Chromecast
06 Nov 2024 | Rasmus Larsen |
tvOS 18.2
06 Nov 2024 | Rasmus Larsen |
Eurovision 2024
04 Nov 2024 | Yoeri Geutskens |
Hollywood
04 Nov 2024 | Rasmus Larsen |