Video has become an essential part of our digital lives, driving everything from entertainment to communication. Yet, the true quality and efficiency of video streaming hinge on the codecs that significantly reduce the amount of data needed to represent video. Enter Versatile Video Coding (VVC), or H.266, the next-generation codec poised to surpass its predecessor, High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC/H.265), with significant gains measured in efficiency or quality. But for VVC to reach its full potential, it needs to be deployed in hardware and adopted in real-world applications.  So, where do we stand today, and what will it take for VVC to truly make its mark?

In this blog, I’ll share some insights from a recent paper I co-authored with Lukasz Litwic from Ericsson (VVC Broadcast Deployment Update, excerpted from Proceedings of the 2025 NAB Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology Conference).

We’ll be diving deeper into these topics at the upcoming NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 5 to 9 (make sure to stop by the Media Coding Industry Forum booth, W3851).  For those who can’t make it to Vegas, here’s a sneak peek into the key points shaping VVC’s future.

The Rise of VVC

VVC improves upon HEVC by delivering the same visual quality with about half the data, allowing for high-quality video streams even on low-bandwidth connections. This means better streaming experiences, reduced buffering, and more efficient delivery of 4K and 8K content without exorbitant data costs. Early adopters have already integrated VVC into their platforms, and the codec powered 8K trials during the Paris Olympics. The closed demonstration of VVC at the Olympics showcased its potential to major broadcasting stakeholders, signaling growing interest at high-profile events. Fraunhofer HHI further facilitated adoption with the VVdeC decoder, making VVC more accessible for streaming.

What Will Drive VVC Adoption?

Software VVC decoders are progressing rapidly, but hardware integration is slower. Many MediaTek chipsets and affordable (and upwards) TVs from brands like Hisense and Sony are now capable of supporting VVC, but lack enabling firmware.  Mobile chipsets is another area where VVC is challenged.

Nonetheless, the potential to unlock VVC capabilities via firmware updates offers a pathway to broader adoption. Additionally, two of the predominant broadcast standards organizations – DVB in Europe and ATSC in the USA  – are embracing VVC, with Brazil set to launch VVC-based broadcasts this coming summer, signalling growing global confidence. Moreover, the ATSC just recently approved VVC for implementation within the ATSC 3.0 framework, marking a significant milestone in its adoption.

Unlike previous codecs, VVC lacks a single dominant use case to drive its adoption, such as high definition (HD) adoption for Advanced Video Coding (AVC/H.264) or ultra-high definition (UHD)/high dynamic range (HDR) for HEVC. While demand for 8K video, virtual reality, and volumetric video is still emerging, these technologies hold immense potential for the future.

VVC’s efficiency in bandwidth-constrained environments—especially television broadcasting—makes it an attractive choice for service providers looking to reduce transmission costs and spectrum limitations. Some regions may even skip HEVC entirely, moving directly to VVC for better performance at lower bitrates.

VVC’s Path to Mainstream Adoption

VVC has demonstrated that it can run efficiently on older mobile devices, dispelling concerns about its computational complexity. VVC’s integration will likely vary by region.  While some markets that have seen significant HEVC deployment, others (e.g. Australia) have not even completed a transition to AVC, opening the door to the possibility of skipping HEVC in favor of VVC.

VVC is not alone in the video coding race. AV1, backed by AOMedia, has already gained traction, although its performance does not make it a direct competitor to VVC in high-end applications. The upcoming AV2, as well as AI-driven encoding techniques, could pose challenges to VVC’s success. Nevertheless, VVC’s strong technical foundation, industry support, and clear intellectual property structure position it as a promising long-term solution for video coding.

What does the future look like for VVC?

Despite challenges, VVC is gaining momentum, paving the way for a future where high-definition video—up to 8K—becomes effortlessly accessible to all.

Its widespread adoption will depend on continued market education, industry collaboration, and integration into a variety of devices and applications.

Whether VVC becomes the industry standard or carves out its niche, its ability to deliver superior quality while cutting data consumption makes it a technology worth keeping a sharp eye on—quite literally—in the years ahead.