Samsung’s APV codec revolutionizes mobile video editing on Galaxy S26 Ultra
Samsung’s APV codec, debuting on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, enhances mobile video editing by maintaining high image quality and minimizing losses. Released as open source, it aims to revolutionize video production accessibility.
The era of mobile video creation has been revolutionized with the introduction of Samsung Electronics’ Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec. This innovative technology, developed independently by Samsung, is designed to enhance high-quality video editing capabilities on mobile devices and has been released as open source. The APV codec made its debut with the launch of the Galaxy S26 Ultra in March, setting a new standard for mobile video creation by maintaining image quality while minimizing losses during the editing process.
Samsung Newsroom engaged with developers from the Visual Solution Team of Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics to explore the development journey and the strategic thinking behind APV.
Technical Challenges and Development
Sunmi Yoo, a developer from the team, explained that traditional video codecs often suffer data loss during compression, which is necessary to reduce file sizes. This loss becomes more pronounced with repeated editing, leading to noticeable degradation in image quality. To address these limitations, Samsung proposed a collaboration with Samsung Research to standardize APV. Over the past three years, the MX business worked diligently to integrate APV into the Android standard.
Key Advantages of APV
The APV codec, now formally standardized by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), is optimized for video editing, ensuring maximum data preservation and excellent compression efficiency. According to Yoo, it can reduce file sizes by more than 10% compared to similar codecs, while Junseang Min highlighted its refined color reproduction capabilities and visually lossless image quality, even after multiple editing cycles.
Open Source Release and Ecosystem Building
Yoo emphasized the decision to release APV as open source to promote wider adoption and build an ecosystem through standardization. This approach aims to ensure the technology’s longevity and accessibility to a broader user base.
Integration on Mobile Devices
Min discussed the challenges in transitioning from standardization to commercialization, particularly in enabling real-time processing of UHD and 8K video on mobile devices. To achieve this, the team focused on thermal management and system-level optimization. Collaborating with Samsung’s Memory Business, they ensured stable data transfer performance under high-load conditions. The APV codec also required partnerships with chipset manufacturers and developers of editing tools and video players.
Impact on Galaxy S26 Ultra
With the APV codec’s debut on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung aims to lower the barriers to professional video production. The device includes four built-in cinematic Look-Up Tables (LUTs), allowing users to create film-like visuals easily. Min noted the significance of developing a dedicated pro kit for the device, enhancing its utility in professional workflows.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Yoo and Min plan to further advance the APV codec, making it even more valuable for users and creators. Their goal is to enable everyday users to produce professional, cinematic content and continue expanding the APV ecosystem through partnerships.
The APV codec, now featured on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, represents a significant leap forward in mobile video production. It offers users the tools to transition seamlessly from shooting to editing and sharing professional-level content, opening up new possibilities for creativity and innovation.