HEVC standard evolves with 16K support and Apple Vision Pro adoption

The progression of HEVC to support 16K and high frame rates is essential for the next generation of immersive displays and professional capture systems. While AVC remains the dominant legacy format, HEVC’s superior performance at 8K and its integration into the iOS/VisionOS ecosystem create a baseline for premium content delivery. However, the codec still faces friction from complex patent licensing and the rise of royalty-free competitors like AV1. Engineering teams must weigh the coding efficiency gains—which can exceed 50% for high-definition content—against the increased CPU utilization required for encoding. Watch for whether the 16K profiles spur development in the prototype 32K camera market mentioned in the standard.

The video coding landscape is increasingly defined by the tension between established standards and royalty-free alternatives. Per a 2024 report from Rethink Technology Research, HEVC's market share has stabilized as it becomes the default for 4K UHD delivery, yet it faces aggressive competition from AV1 in the browser-based streaming sector. YouTube and Netflix have both shifted significant portions of their traffic to AV1 to avoid the licensing complexities associated with the MPEG-LA and Velos Media patent pools, which have historically slowed HEVC's adoption in lower-cost hardware.

Technological development has already moved toward HEVC's successor, Versatile Video Coding (VVC/H.266). Per Bitmovin's 2024 Video Developer Report, while HEVC is supported by approximately 95% of devices, early interest in VVC is growing due to its ability to reduce bitrates by an additional 30% to 50% over HEVC. This is particularly relevant for 8K streaming where bandwidth costs are prohibitive. MediaTek and Qualcomm have begun shipping mobile chipsets with native VVC decoding support as of late 2023, signaling a gradual shift toward the newer standard.

In the spatial computing niche, Apple’s commitment to HEVC is a critical anchor. According to Apple's developer documentation from early 2024, the Vision Pro utilizes MV-HEVC (Multiview High Efficiency Video Coding) to deliver stereoscopic 3D video. This choice has forced many specialized production tools to prioritize HEVC workflows over AV1, ensuring the codec remains relevant in high-margin professional markets even as general consumer web streaming explores alternative paths.