Google Chrome, YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are preparing to support AV2, the successor to AV1. The news comes as Meta also works in the same direction, marking an important step for video compression on the web and in streaming.
AV2 is the codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia), the consortium that brings together major technology and entertainment companies. The specification was officially published at the end of May 2026, after more than five years of work by the Video Codec Working Group. The technical document is publicly available at av2.aomedia.org and describes the bitstream syntax and decoding processes needed for full conformance.
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The key point is efficiency. A compression codec reduces the amount of data needed to transmit a video without losing quality. According to estimates reported by some specialist sources, AV2 could save about 30% of data compared with AV1, with direct consequences for bandwidth costs of streaming services and for perceived quality on slow connections.
The alliance has already started a project for a 12-bit profile aimed at professional cinema workflows and HDR applications, a sign that AV2 is not designed only for mass streaming.
It remains to be seen how quickly the codec will enter everyday use. Platforms announce support, but real adoption depends on hardware: chips able to decode AV2 efficiently are not yet widespread, and specialist sources point to an adoption window stretching from 2027 to 2031.
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