The period of filmmaking with a cell phone has arrived. As anybody can now shoot, edit and share high-quality video, customers more and more anticipate better coloration accuracy, finer element and extra post-production flexibility. In response, Samsung Electronics has developed the Superior Skilled Video (APV) codec and is working to ascertain it as a worldwide open customary.
Why APV
Codecs could also be unfamiliar to many customers, however they act as invisible engines shaping the consumer expertise. Consider a suitcase — the way you pack it determines how a lot it holds and the way simply you will discover what you want. Likewise, an environment friendly codec allows a consumer to retailer extra high-quality video whereas enhancing playback and modifying.
Video falls into two classes — informal video, on a regular basis clips we seize and share, {and professional} video for cinema-grade modifying. Whereas informal codecs prioritize compression effectivity, skilled codecs should protect picture high quality and reproduce colours with precision. Simply as overpacking a suitcase can harm or distort its contents, skilled video requires a sturdy codec that preserves each element.
Typical compression makes it troublesome to completely allow cellular post-production — together with coloration grading, the place creators apply exact tones to match their creative imaginative and prescient, and visible results (VFX). APV was designed to help the complete workflow from seize to closing edit whereas preserving element even after a number of rounds of recompression.
Lowering Complexity With out Compromise
The largest technical problem was lowering complexity. Typical skilled codecs concentrate on picture high quality, making them computationally demanding and limiting use to high-end {hardware}. The purpose was to attain a low-complexity design that cellular processors may deal with in actual time with out compromising high quality.
To handle this, Samsung launched light-weight entropy coding1 to cut back computational load and body tiling2 that allows parallel encoding and decoding throughout a number of cores. Because of this, APV helps real-time processing of as much as 8K video on cellphones whereas sustaining picture high quality with minimal loss, even after a number of edits.
| Class | Typical Video Codec | APV Codec |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Viewing and sharing | Skilled modifying and high-quality preservation |
| Key Focus | Lowering file measurement (compression effectivity) | Preserving authentic coloration and element at 100% |
| Processing Pace | Normal processing | Actual-time 8K processing on cellphones |
| Use Instances | Social media uploads | Movie manufacturing, skilled promoting, superior modifying |
Constructing an Open Ecosystem for All
The worth of expertise lies in how broadly it’s used. Samsung selected to construct an open ecosystem the place anybody can undertake and advance the expertise. It’s like sharing an awesome recipe — resulting in even higher outcomes.
In February 2026, Samsung printed APV by way of the Web Engineering Activity Pressure (IETF) as RFC 9924, establishing it as a de facto world customary. The corporate additionally launched the total supply code on GitHub beneath the identify “OpenAPV,” enabling builders worldwide to take part and contribute.
This openness is driving ecosystem progress and accelerating adoption. The APV codec is supported in Android 16, whereas the open-source instrument FFmpeg and post-production software program DaVinci Resolve have additionally added help.
Collaborating Throughout World Groups
This progress was pushed by Samsung’s world analysis collaboration. After Samsung Analysis (SR) led early growth, groups throughout Samsung Analysis America (SRA), Samsung R&D Institute India-Bangalore (SRI-B), Samsung R&D Institute Poland (SRPOL) and Samsung R&D Institute Japan (SRJ) labored intently collectively. Their efforts led to a key milestone in October 2023, when APV was unveiled on the Samsung Developer Convention (SDC). In August 2024, Samsung joined the Academy Software program Basis (ASWF) to help the open-source video ecosystem.
To deliver the expertise to cellphones, the Cellular eXperience (MX) Enterprise spearheaded product integration. Shut collaboration between MX and SR optimized efficiency for cellular. In February 2026, Samsung outfitted Galaxy S26 Extremely with APV — the primary Android telephone to help the codec.
Increasing Inventive Prospects for All
Our purpose is evident. We goal to make professional-grade video manufacturing accessible to everybody by way of APV. Expertise delivers its best worth when it’s open, and APV will form a extra inventive future for video content material.