AV1’s open, royalty-free promise in question as Dolby sues Snapchat over codec
Summary
Ars Technica reports that AV1, marketed as an open and royalty-free video codec, faces a legal challenge as Dolby Laboratories sues Snapchat for patent infringement related to the codec. The case argues that AV1 uses Dolby-patented technologies and that not all essential AV1 patents are licensed royalty-free, raising questions about FRAND obligations and the real-world licensing landscape for video codecs. The outcome could impact AV1 adoption and highlights the ongoing complexity of codec licensing, including patent pools and related lawsuits.