While Mozilla Firefox has its advantages, the browser is finally adding a feature that has already been available on Chrome and Edge for two years. With that, Mozilla is finally adding AV1 support.
Mozilla Firefox Finally Adds AV1 Support
The AV1 video codec can easily be toggled with if users have the updated Windows 10 and Chrome or Edge browser. While the two companies decided to be futuristic and add AV1 support, Mozilla stated that it wasn't a priority.
According to the story by AndroidPolice, both Microsoft and Google have been pushing for supporting hardware acceleration in each of their browsers. Despite this, Mozilla decided not to prioritize this feature due to it requiring "powerful PCs with current software.
Mozilla's Reason Why They Didn't Add Support
Luckily, Zaggy1024's post on Bugzilla revealed that support for AV1 will come to the browser once the Firefox 100 is released. This means that in order to gain access to AV1 support on Firefox, users will have to wait until May 3 to get it.
As per AndroidPolice, despite the developers of Mozilla having their own "clear reasons to put off the update," the publication referred to it as feeling overdue. A major advantage of the AV1 is that it is open-source and royalty-free compared to HEVC or MPEG-2, meaning the new support is more "cost-efficient."
AV1 is Capable of 30% Better Compression
Users can also experience 30% better compression, with AV1 beating the closest competition without sacrificing the quality of images. In addition, AV1 works by moving the processing tasks from a computer's software to its hardware.
Due to the fact that AV1 uses hardware instead of software to process the video, this makes it much lighter and actually quite "energy-efficient." The feature can also help users save on battery life despite using either a PC or a tablet.
AV1 Helps Users Stream Netflix More Efficiently
One major reason why AV1 is so useful is that it is compatible with Netflix and helps users optimize the overall streaming experience. With the upcoming Firefox 100, AndroidPolice notes that they expect the new browser to have built-in AV1.
With the built-in AV1 on the Firefox 100, users will be able to experience "a better streaming experience." This is due to the significant optimization and how it allows users to rely more on their hardware compared to software.
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Firefox 100 AV1 Support 'Good News'
Nowadays, most computers are already upgraded with sufficient hardware, unlike two years ago when it was more expensive. With the advancement of hardware technology, it is only expected that software would rely on them more.
Although Firefox 100's AV1 support might come a little bit too late, as per AndroidPolice, this is still considered "good news for content providers and Firefox fans alike."
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Written by Urian B.
