For now, HEVC remains the dominant codec for 4K video. But its legal landscape serves as a cautionary tale: when a standard is built on thousands of unverified patent claims, the presumption of innocence offers little practical protection. In the video codec wars, it is better to be licensed than to be presumed right.
In the world of digital video compression, few acronyms have sparked as much legal and commercial controversy as HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, also known as H.265). While consumers know it as the technology enabling 4K streaming on Netflix and efficient Zoom calls, manufacturers and software developers know it as a potential legal minefield. presumed innocent hevc
When a patent holder demands a royalty of, say, $1.00 per device, the implementer is presumed to be acting in good faith if they offer a lower amount (e.g., $0.20) based on comparable licenses. The implementer is not a "willful infringer" simply because they reject the initial offer. They are innocent of bad-faith negotiation until proven otherwise. For now, HEVC remains the dominant codec for 4K video
Here is why that presumption is vital—and why HEVC makes it so precarious. HEVC is a standard developed by a joint collaboration (ITU-T and ISO/IEC). To implement it, a company must use hundreds of individual patents owned by dozens of different entities—including Samsung, Apple, Ericsson, and GE. In the world of digital video compression, few