… for Codecs & Media

Tip #957: Apple Supports VP9 in macOS Big Sur

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

VP9 codec support is coming to macOS Big Sur – specifically Safari.

Last week, Apple introduced support for the VP9 codec in Safari (Mac version) in the fourth beta of macOS Big Sur. Learn more.

Apple’s release notes state: “Support for 4K HDR playback of YouTube videos.” However, 4k HDR video on YouTube only uses the VP9 codec.

According to AppleInsider.com, “this means users will be able to natively stream 4K YouTube clips in Safari on iOS 14, tvOS 14, and macOS Big Sur.

“While 4K videos can be seen in their full resolution on Macs and Apple TV devices with the appropriate displays, the resolution of even the latest iPhones and iPads top out below 4K quality.

“Safari is getting other new additions in macOS Big Sur and Apple’s other software updates, including native support for HDR videos and WebP images.

“The lack of VP9 support has been a sticking point for users since Google introduced the codec, particularly since the Mountain View company has refused to encode clips in other Apple-friendly codecs. Since the introduction of VP9, users have been stuck with viewing YouTube in 1080p or 720p.”