Demand for more over-the-top video and immersive video experiences on mobile devices is placing pressure on mobile networks to improve capacity and functionality.
As more video content is consumed on mobile devices, it is becoming evident that infrastructure needs to be enhanced to accommodate the growing demand. As a result, Versatile Video Coding (VVC), with higher efficiency to compress video files, is increasingly seen as one of the tools that can help reduce the strain on mobile networks.
To learn more about how VVC enhances video user experiences on mobile devices, we sat down with Aytac Biber, Media Coding Industry Forum MC-IF Board Member and Director of Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Here is what he had to say:
Q: Why is the mobile device and networking community exploring the impact that Versatile Video coding (VVC) can have on their environments?
Biber: Based on current technology and consumer trends we are seeing projections that puts the infrastructure segment of the industry in the direction toward a more mature phase — a commoditization if you will — where cost reduction becomes crucial.
Since video is the predominant category of traffic flowing over mobile networks today, many leaders are taking a hard look at all of the benefits presented by VVC. This technology offers a fundamental 40-50% compression gain, making video files smaller and easier to store and distribute.
This means it can deliver more high-quality video experiences on mobile devices while optimizing bandwidth resources and enhancing the user experience.
Can you expand on the impact of rising data usage on the economics or network service providers?
Biber: The ever-expanding amount of data, which is predominantly video, is putting pressure on networks, and operators are forced to find ways to reduce their costs and improve efficiency. The cost reduction seen in previous generations of networks, such as what we saw in the transitions from 2G to 3G and 3G to 4G, are hitting a plateau as we look at the landscape post 5G deployment.
As the cost of data transmitted over mobile networks increases, the anticipation is that mobile operators and content providers will be motivated to look at ways to reduce operational expenses and find new ways to monetize their services. This would also involve replacing or modifying existing business models, such as revisiting unlimited data plans or finding alternative revenue streams to help with profitability.
More than ever network operators need to be smarter about managing and optimizing their networks to handle the increasing data traffic.
Compressing video content more effectively means that network operators can significantly reduce the amount of data transmitted over their networks, thereby optimizing network resources.
Q: What are some of the technical improvements of VVC that contribute to its relevance in the mobile market?
Biber: VVC offers much better compression efficiency than previous video coding standards like HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding), allowing videos to be compressed into smaller file sizes without compromising quality. This is particularly important in mobile environments with common bandwidth and storage limitations.
The encoding technology also allows for selective coding of specific areas of interest in a video. This will be increasingly important as consumers demand more immersive experiences delivered through networks on their mobile devices.
Let’s take the case of 360-degree videos as an example. VVC can put higher priority on the field of view that a user is currently looking at while putting lesser priority or lesser bits to code for the rest of the scene. In return, this reduces the bandwidth required to transmit complete video, making it more efficient for mobile networks and enabling the device to process the specific experience enjoyed by users effectively.
Another use case that benefits from VVC is screen-sharing which is also becoming more mainstream and popular on mobile devices. VVC can play an essential enabling role because it has been specifically designed to support this category of functionality.
VVC also enables the ability to change the resolution of a video during decoding without the need for larger IDR frames, which helps smooth network traffic. This is a crucial requirement given the capacity variability that users are exposed to as they move across areas covered by mobile networks.
VVC generally enables smoother video streaming experiences on mobile devices by reducing bandwidth requirements and improving compression efficiency. As a result, users will be able to enjoy high-quality video content without experiencing buffering or lag, even in bandwidth-constrained environments.
Finally, VVC has been designed to be implemented on a wide range of mobile devices – from high-end flagship smartphones to lower-end devices. It democratizes access to advanced video services and allows users with different device capabilities to enjoy the benefits of VVC-encoded content.
Q: The 360-degree application is interesting, can you explain how VVC supports this functionality in new ways?
Biber: While 360-degree video has been around for some time, it is now becoming an increasingly popular experience for consumers in the market. Major players, including Apple, have invested significantly in new technologies like spatial video capture and rendering techniques to optimize and deliver 360-video experiences.
VVC supports 360-degree video by introducing intelligent tools for coding and compressing the video. It includes features like midstream extraction and merging sub-pictures, which allow users to define areas of interest within the 360-degree canvas.
Consequently, only the video sections in the viewer’s field of view need to be decoded, reducing bandwidth usage and improving efficiency. Overall, VVC provides efficient and optimized coding for 360-degree video experiences.
Delivering these capabilities will be increasingly important as more immersive applications — like virtual and augmented reality — become more popular. The compression capabilities offered by VVC will play an important role in making these services viable — and more importantly: profitable — by managing the growing demand for video content and creating new monetization opportunities.
Q: Are mobile device manufacturers paying attention to VVC?
Biber: Yes. While it is not appropriate for me to speak on behalf of other companies, over the following months and years, I do expect to see several mobile device manufacturers and network service providers announce intentions to integrate VVC into their devices and services.
Significant work with VVC is already underway, with major players in video leveraging VVC playback using software-accelerated decoders that run on CPUs and GPUs. Even these initiatives are resulting in 30% performance gains.
Q: Is the mobile community organizing itself and how is VVC contributing to this ecosystem?
Biber: Yes. As VVC introduces new tools to video compression technology, the community is working together to optimize hardware components, network components, and software components to support VVC.
This includes developing specialized circuits for video compression and decompression, collaborating with partners to optimize software decoders, and exploring hybrid architectures that combine different processing units for improved performance.
The goal is to create a rich ecosystem that can efficiently leverage VVC to handle the rising demand to provide the best video experiences for users.
Q: What do you expect to see regarding VVC adoption in the mobile industry, both from the device perspective and the networking?
Biber: I fully expect VVC adoption to increase in the mobile industry over the next few years. Mobile network operators will be motivated to see VVC help reduce costs and improve efficiency, especially as data usage grows.
VVC is readily being deployed in certain regions of the world, and content companies are interested in taking advantage of its compression capabilities. As mobile device manufacturers race to improve user video experiences to capture market share, VVC is poised to be an important differentiator in the short run that will determine which provider will win the race. In the long run, I believe VVC will emerge as a required technology in the mobile video sector.
###