Google is working towards giving a boost to the VP9 codec by allowing customers to stream HD content up to 4K directly toPCs, TVs and mobile devices on YouTube.
Google plans to start the year with its progressive VP9 codec technology, which will allow 4K video streaming on YouTube. The VP9 codec will be showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show to be held in Las Vegas, next week. The new open source technology will not only let users stream 4K content but will also save nearly 50 percent of the bandwidth compared to the H.264 codec.
The 4K video format is mainly popular because of its extra clarity, which has roughly four times higher resolution than the standard HD. But the higher video standard comes with a price and streaming 4K can be data intensive. The VP9 codec addresses these drawbacks and saves on data usage for streaming ultra HD content.
"If you adopt VP9, as you can very quickly, you'll have tremendous advantages over anyone else out there using H.264 or VP8, (its predecessor)," VP9 engineer Ronald Bultje said during Google's developer conference in May, earlier this year, CNET reports. "You can save about 50 percent of bandwidth by encoding your video with VP9 vs. H.264."
Google's VP9 will act as an alternative to H.264 codec that is widely used by software and hardware makers for 4K videos. VP9 will help developers stream faster using lesser data. Lack of 4K content and minimal support from hardware partners has resulted in a muted demand for 4K-ready devices. While the demand for 4K remains nominal, with the integration of VP9 in future TVs, computers, mobile devices and Blu-ray players, the demand will certainly go up for the technology.
Francisco Varela, Google's global director for platform partnerships told TechCrunch that the next few years will open a new horizon for 4K and 4K-supported devices, with more people favoring the new technology over its predecessors. He also revealed that YouTube has partnerships with 19 hardware makers, including ARM, Broadcom, Intel, LG, Marvell, MediaTek, Nvidia, Panasonic, Philips, Qualcomm, RealTek, Samsung, Sigma, Sharp, Sony and Toshiba, to integrate its VP9 technology in future models.
