The Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) is gearing up for what it calls a generational leap in video technology: AV2, the successor to the widely deployed AV1 codec. Scheduled for release by the end of the year, AV2 promises sharper efficiency, broader use cases, and a bigger role in the media ecosystem’s open-source future.
AV2 isn’t just an incremental upgrade—it’s designed to meet the world’s surging appetite for streaming, AR/VR, and interactive content. According to AOMedia, the codec delivers significantly better compression than AV1, improved split-screen streaming, stronger screen-content handling, and adaptability across a wide visual quality range. In plain English: faster streams, smoother VR, and better performance at lower bandwidths.
The Open Playbook
Since its founding, AOMedia has championed royalty-free standards as an alternative to proprietary codecs like HEVC and VVC. Executive Director Dr. Pierre-Anthony Lemieux says the model is about more than cost savings. “Innovation thrives when it’s open,” he notes, pointing to AOMedia’s collaborative approach as the reason AV1 gained traction among platforms like YouTube, Netflix, and Twitch.
If AV1’s adoption curve is any indication, AV2 may arrive with tailwinds. AOMedia’s 10th anniversary member survey shows 88% of members already see AV1 as “critical” or “important” to their roadmaps. Looking ahead, 53% plan to adopt AV2 within a year of its release, with nearly nine out of ten members expecting to use it within two years.
Why It Matters
Streaming now accounts for the majority of internet traffic worldwide, and the demands are only intensifying. Video platforms need codecs that compress more, cost less, and adapt faster to new use cases like AR overlays, cloud gaming, and AI-generated video. AV2 enters the scene as the open alternative, positioned to challenge commercial standards while expanding the reach of next-gen media experiences.
If AV1’s trajectory—from a niche open codec to a near-ubiquitous streaming standard—set the stage, AV2 could define the next decade of video. For content providers, device makers, and platforms, the question isn’t whether to adopt AV2—it’s how quickly.
