Google wants to take on Dolby with new open media formats (protocol.com)

Article summary

Google is developing new open media formats to compete with Dolby's proprietary technologies. The goal is to provide royalty-free alternatives for audio and video compression. This move could potentially disrupt the existing market and benefit consumers. The development of these formats may also align with Google's self-interest in reducing licensing fees and promoting its own platforms and services.

Main themes

• open media formats
• proprietary technologies
• royalty-free alternatives
• audio and video compression
• Google's self-interest
• innovation and investment
• industry adoption and resistance
• consumer benefits and costs

What commenters say

• Google's attempt to create open media formats is driven by its desire to reduce licensing fees and promote its own platforms and services.
• The existence of proprietary audio and video formats like Dolby Vision is justified by the significant investment and innovation required to develop them.
• The use of open-source codecs and formats could lead to better adoption and more widespread use of advanced audio and video technologies.
• The development of new formats may not necessarily lead to significant improvements in quality or user experience, as the differences between existing formats may be negligible.
• The media industry's preference for proprietary formats is driven by existing business relationships and contracts, making it difficult for open-source alternatives to gain traction.
• The creation of royalty-free formats could benefit consumers by reducing costs and increasing accessibility to advanced technologies.
• The value of proprietary formats like Dolby Vision lies not just in the technology itself, but in the ecosystem of certifications, calibrations, and support that surrounds it.
• The potential benefits of open-source formats may be outweighed by the complexity and cost of developing and maintaining them.