AV1 is the video codec of the future, offering 30% better compression than Google's VP9 format without bringing any noticeable hit to picture quality. The compression benefits get even better as the resolution increases, resulting in significant data savings when streaming 4K or higher content. Google has been heavily pushing the open-source video codec, with Netflix also adopting AV1 for Android and smart TVs. Developed by the Alliance for Open Media, the AV1 codec can be used royalty-free by any company.

Despite its popularity and benefits, though, Qualcomm chips have so far lacked native decoding AV1 support — that's a big deal considering millions of devices running Snapdragon chips are sold every year. That's about to change, though.

In the latest edition of its Entertainment newsletter, Protocol claims that Qualcomm plans to add AV1 codec support to the Adreno GPU of its upcoming flagship Snapdragon chip known internally as the SM8550. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 carries the SM8450 codename, so the report likely refers to its successor, likely the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Going by Qualcomm's usual launch timeframe, this chip should be announced at the end of the year and appear inside 2023 flagship Android devices. For comparison, most recent Samsung and MediaTek chips support AV1 decoding.

Qualcomm previously addressed the lack of AV1 codec support in its chips in an interview with AnandTech, saying that it plans its premium tier offerings two to three years in advance and must adhere to a strict timeframe from carriers and Android manufacturers. Due to these factors, it has not been able to add an AV1 decoder in Snapdragon chips despite its willingness to do so.

The report states that AV1 codec adoption has been limited among major video streaming services due to a lack of the necessary hardware. However, this could change this year as many companies are looking to release new chips or products with native AV1 decoding support. This even includes Google, which is seemingly looking to launch a cheaper version of Chromecast with AV1 support. The company started requiring Android TV makers to add AV1 support starting with Android 10, with YouTube also requiring that devices support the codec if they want access to 4K streams.