The Impact of Apple's HEVC Adoption: A Survey-Based Report

Sponsored By: Harmonic

Early 2018 is a particularly dynamic time for codec development and deployment, and many streaming publishers are wondering whether to stand pat with H.264 or to start to experiment with VP9, HEVC, or even AV1. When Apple added HEVC to HLS in mid-2017, HEVC seemed like the frontrunner. Then, in January 2018, Apple joined the Alliance for Open Media, seemingly backing the AV1 codec, which is scheduled to be released in early 2018.

Which codecs will advance in 2018 and beyond, and which will fall by the wayside? To a great degree, this depends upon which codecs are deployed by streaming producers and when. A new report from Unisphere Research and Streaming Media magazine, and sponsored by Harmonic, reveals these intentions.

The new report, entitled The Impact of Apple’s HEVC Adoption: A Survey-Based Report, asks how quickly the over 600 respondents anticipate supporting HEVC in HLS, as well as their plans for VP9 and AV1. It also delves into the concerns each publisher has about each format, such as unknown royalty costs (HEVC) or uncertain performance parameters (AV1). Anyone seeking a snapshot of how codec deployments will play out over the next 12-18 months should download this free report.