Google backs Theora for mobile devices in the HTML5 video codec wars

Filed under: Video, Google, Mobile

The battle for HTML5 video codec supremacy just got even more interesting, with Google officially praising the "patent-free, royalty-free" Theora codec, and endorsing it for mobile use in particular. Theora is locked in a battle with H.264, which you may recognize as Apple's preferred codec for use with the HTML5 video tag.

Thus far, Theora's biggest backer has been Mozilla, which included Theora support in Firefox either because it's so open or because Mozilla didn't want to pay the H.264 licensing fees, depending on who you ask. With Firefox as its only ally amongst the major browsers, Theora looked to be at a big disadvantage, but the Big G's endorsement should give it a boost.

This doesn't mean Theora will be popping up in Google Chrome all of a sudden. So far, Google has just backed Theorarm, an OGG Theora/OGG Vorbis decoding library built for the ARM processors that run Google's Android devices. Could Google put its full muscle behind Theora on the desktop? We'll have to wait and see as this video codec soap opera unfolds.

[via OSNews]

Google backs Theora for mobile devices in the HTML5 video codec wars originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 10 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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