The Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) has announced that its next-generation open video codec, AV2, will debut by the end of 2025. The launch coincides with the group’s 10th anniversary and marks the next major step in open media standards.
As expected, AV2 builds directly on the success of AV1, which was finalized in 2018 and has since gained widespread adoption across browsers, devices, and streaming platforms. According to AOMedia, AV2 delivers significantly better compression efficiency, enabling higher quality video at lower bitrates.
The codec is designed to meet the needs of emerging applications. Beyond traditional streaming, AV2 offers improved support for AR/VR workloads, enhanced handling of screen content, including presentations and desktop sharing, and advanced multi-program streaming, including split-screen scenarios.
It also supports a broader visual quality range, making it suitable for both low-bandwidth and high-end experiences. But what is more important is that, like AV1, AV2 will be available as a royalty-free, open standard, in contrast to proprietary codecs such as HEVC/H.265, which have faced criticism for complex and costly licensing.
Additionally, an open-source reference implementation is also expected, continuing the group’s practice with AV1. This guarantees that both commercial solutions and community projects can integrate AV2.
For more information, see the official AOMedia announcement.
