When Apple updated its mobile operating system from iOS 10 to iOS 11, they introduced two new media formats – among other major changes and improvements.
We at Online-Convert.com watched this update very closely and of course, we are especially interested in these new file formats. Last week, we already had a closer look at the new image format HEIC. This article will sum up all you need to know about the new video format HEVC.
High Efficiency Video Coding – HEVC
HEVC is the abbreviation of High Efficiency Video Codec. However, different than with HEIC, HEVC is not an entirely new file format with an extension, but a new codec.Just like the previously mentioned image format, HEVC was developed by the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) that have previously introduced audio formats like MP3 and video formats like MP4 to the world wide web. Based on this, it’s safe to assume that HEVC is rather similar to the video standards we know from MP4.
Just like the previously mentioned image format, HEVC was developed by the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) that have previously introduced audio formats like MP3 and video formats like MP4 to the world wide web. Based on this, it’s safe to assume that HEVC is rather similar to the video standards we know from MP4.
Let’s have a look at this new (and improved?) video format.
HEVC Facts
Before the update to iOS 11, the standard video codec used for recording videos using Apple devices like iPhones and iPads was MPEG-4/H.264. They were typically saved with the MOV file extension (.mov).
HEVC is also known as either H.265 or MPEG-H Part 2. This new video standard offers videos in very high quality with the same or lower bit rates than the previously used standard. Thus, the file size of recorded videos has been reduced significantly. This also comes in handy for streaming services. HEVC is the new go-to codec for Apple devices for streaming videos since they provide the same if not better quality while speeding up the streaming.
Contrary to HEIC files, however, HEVC files will not have compatibility issues that are as big. While the new images are saved with the .heic extension, HEVC files will be stored as MOV still. However, since the format is encoded differently, it might be that third-party video players, as well as TVs, might not be able to interpret the HEVC encoded videos yet.
How To Work With HEVC
If you are not convinced by the new video format yet, you can force your iPhone or iPad to save recordings in the old format again. Please note that this will lead to bigger files again though. To switch back to recording MP4 videos, go to Settings > Camera > Formats.
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