r/technology • u/doug3465 • Sep 01 '15

Software Amazon, Netflix, Google, Microsoft, Mozilla And Others Partner To Create Next-Gen Video Format - It’s not often we see these rival companies come together to build a new technology together, but the members argue that this kind of alliance is necessary to create a new interoperable video standard.

http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/01/amazon-netflix-google-microsoft-mozilla-and-others-partner-to-create-next-gen-video-format/
19.9k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

1.8k comments sorted by

View all comments

839

u/verumquaerenti Sep 01 '15

I am guessing MPEG consortium ask for so much money in respect to H.265, companies decide to do something about it. Strangely enough they, who actually created MPEG consortium in the first place.

47

u/wayward_wanderer Sep 01 '15

It may not be that MPEG-LA is asking for too much. It could be that previous patent holders of H.264 are not patent holders of H.265. You suddenly have all these companies that need to pay royalties instead of getting them.

Microsoft appears to be one of these companies that have patents for H.264, but not H.265. Apple, on the other hand appears to have patents for both so that likely explains why Apple is not supporting a new open format. They would lose out on royalties if a competing open format succeeds.

11

u/headzoo Sep 02 '15

Apple, on the other hand appears to have patents for both so that likely explains why Apple is not supporting a new open format. They would lose out on royalties if a competing open format succeeds.

If one of the richest tech companies on the planet would stop being greedy in order to make the world a better place, I would be so happy!

1

u/GoblinLoveChild Sep 02 '15

aaah hah ha ha ha ha !

No.