Docomo to put HEVC video compression on smartphones

Japanese telco NTT Docomo will introduce smartphones with HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, also known as H.265) technology this year, which will help improve image quality and reduce the data strain on networks.

Docomo will begin licensing the technology in March, and the first smartphones with HEVC should arrive this year, according to a statement Monday. The telco added its decoding software would be the world's first of its kind for full high-definition (HD) playback on smartphones.

The HEVC compression technology will be win-win for users and operators, as users will see smoother video playback while operators will benefit from having reduced video data traffic on their networks.

Compared with MPEG-4 AVC, compressed video can be downloaded twice as fast, or higher-quality video can be streamed at conventional speeds, the telco pointed out.

"Docomo’s HEVC decoding software allows smooth playback of full HD on smartphones without delays or interruptions. Furthermore, for playback on personal computers the software enables real-time decoding of 4K UHD TV, which offer four times the resolution of full HD," it added in the statement.