What is HEVC? The Tech Inside Your iPhone Photos
DefinitionHigh Efficiency Video Coding - the brain behind HEIC.
1The Simple Explanation
HEVC is a video compression standard. Apple realized that a single frame of high-quality video makes for a great photo. HEIC is essentially a single frame of HEVC video.
2Technical Deep Dive
HEVC replaces H.264 (AVC). It handles larger 'macroblocks' (up to 64x64) and has smarter prediction algorithms, allowing it to compress data 50% more efficiently than JPG.
Common Misconceptions
Myth: HEIC is an image format. Fact: HEIC is a container. The image inside is actually encoded with HEVC.