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Google to open-source YouTube's video codec, may end HTML5 video war
Rumors are swirling about Google's plans to release VP8, the video codec that powers YouTube, as open source. That could put an end to the HTML5 video wars between open codec Ogg Theora (backed by Mozilla, and backed by Google on mobile devices) and H.264, the proprietary codec favored by Apple and Microsoft (in IE9, anyway).
VP8 arguably offers better quality than Theora, and it wouldn't have H.264's licensing issues if it were made open source. In theory, it could crush them both. In practice, it could be a political issue. Apple will probably keep pushing H.264 hard, and what Microsoft might do is anyone's guess. The Inquirer is reporting that Google's announcement is expected next month. HTML5 video has become the best soap opera on the web, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Update: As several commenters pointed out, I was mistaken about VP8 being an option in YouTube. The deal is that Google will very likely start using it in YouTube after they take it open source.
VP8 arguably offers better quality than Theora, and it wouldn't have H.264's licensing issues if it were made open source. In theory, it could crush them both. In practice, it could be a political issue. Apple will probably keep pushing H.264 hard, and what Microsoft might do is anyone's guess. The Inquirer is reporting that Google's announcement is expected next month. HTML5 video has become the best soap opera on the web, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Update: As several commenters pointed out, I was mistaken about VP8 being an option in YouTube. The deal is that Google will very likely start using it in YouTube after they take it open source.
Comments
23
Subscribe to commentsSilverWaveApr 13th 2010 12:18PM
Told you so :-P
But seriously what Google says goes - if they convert all content to VP8 everyone will fall over themselves to support it.
Wave Goodbye to H264!
LOL
MxxConApr 13th 2010 3:36PM
the problem with h.264 is not that its not open source. but all the patents that require licensing fee. look at x264 project, it's opensource but still hindered by all the patents of h264.
the bigger benefit of Ogg Theora is not that its open source but the fact that its patent free, so at no point in the future will software using it be required to pay any licensing fees.
just because Google will make VP8 open source will not solve the problem of patent incumbent.
hazardApr 13th 2010 10:06PM
Theora is based on the VP3 codec from On2. VP8 is the latest codec from On2 - now owned by Google. Looks like VP8 is going to become the new Theora standard.
Seriously big, big news.
Interesting to see what MPEG LA do in response to this.