Future of Image Formats: Beyond HEIC

Exploring next-generation image technologies and what they mean for digital photography

Published: October 2024 • 10 min read

The Evolution of Image Formats

The journey from BMP to PNG, from GIF to JPG, and now from JPG to HEIC illustrates the continuous evolution of image technology. Each generation of image formats addresses limitations of its predecessors while introducing new capabilities aligned with contemporary needs. As we stand in 2024, several emerging formats compete to become the next standard, each offering compelling advantages in compression efficiency, feature sets, and capabilities that current formats simply cannot match.

Understanding this evolution isn't just academic - it affects what formats you should use today, how you should archive photos for the future, and which technologies to invest time learning. The next five years will likely see significant shifts in which formats dominate various use cases, from web publishing to professional photography to smartphone defaults.

AVIF: The Current Front-Runner

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) has emerged as the most promising successor to both JPG and HEIC, backed by major technology companies and seeing rapid adoption across the web ecosystem.

Technical Advantages

AVIF leverages the AV1 video codec, developed by the Alliance for Open Media (including Google, Apple, Mozilla, Microsoft, Amazon, Netflix, and others). This collaborative development ensures broad industry support and freedom from patent licensing fees that plague older formats.

Key technical benefits include:

In practical terms, AVIF can deliver the same visual quality as JPG in half the file size, or significantly better quality at the same file size. For websites managing bandwidth costs and users on mobile data plans, this efficiency matters tremendously.

Current Browser and Platform Support

AVIF support has expanded rapidly:

This broad browser support means AVIF is already viable for web use, particularly with JPG fallbacks for older browsers. Content delivery networks like Cloudflare and image optimization services have added AVIF support, making implementation straightforward for web developers.

Limitations and Challenges

Despite its advantages, AVIF faces obstacles:

JPEG XL: The Comprehensive Solution

JPEG XL (JXL) represents a different approach - creating a true next-generation replacement for JPG that addresses every limitation while maintaining compatibility with existing workflows.

Design Philosophy

JPEG XL was developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (the same organization behind the original JPEG) specifically as a comprehensive upgrade to the 30-year-old JPG format. Unlike AVIF which repurposes video codec technology, JPEG XL was designed from scratch as a still image format.

Technical Capabilities

Adoption Challenges

Despite technical superiority, JPEG XL faces significant adoption hurdles:

However, the format retains strong support from professional photography communities and archivists who appreciate its lossless JPG conversion and superior feature set. Firefox maintains support, and specialized software increasingly includes JPEG XL capabilities.

WebP2: Google's Next Generation

WebP2 is Google's successor to WebP (which itself was meant to replace JPG but achieved only partial adoption). Learning from WebP's mixed success, WebP2 aims higher with more aggressive compression and capabilities.

Current Status

As of 2024, WebP2 remains in development and experimental stages. Google has not committed to a release timeline, and the format's future remains uncertain. The company's shift in focus to AVIF may mean WebP2 never reaches production.

Potential Advantages

If completed, WebP2 promises:

However, the format's uncertain status makes it difficult to recommend for current planning purposes.

Other Emerging Formats

Several specialized formats address specific use cases:

JPEG XS

Designed for low-latency professional video workflows rather than consumer photography. Offers fast encoding/decoding at the expense of compression efficiency. Unlikely to impact consumer photography.

High Efficiency Image Format (HEIF) Evolution

HEIC is actually a variant of HEIF, which continues evolving. Future HEIF versions may incorporate newer codecs like VVC (Versatile Video Coding) for even better compression, though patent licensing concerns create adoption barriers.

💡 Future-Proofing Your Photos

While new formats emerge, JPG remains the safest archival format with guaranteed long-term compatibility. Convert your HEIC files to JPG using HEICdrop.net to ensure your photos remain accessible regardless of future format changes. Completely free and private - your files never leave your browser.

Browser and Platform Adoption Timelines

Understanding adoption timelines helps predict which formats will dominate the near future.

Web Ecosystem (Next 1-2 Years)

Mobile Photography (Next 2-3 Years)

Professional Photography (Next 3-5 Years)

What This Means for Different Users

The format landscape affects different user groups in distinct ways.

For Web Developers

For Smartphone Users

For Photographers

For Archivists

Predictions for the Next 5 Years

Based on current trends and technical realities, here's what to expect by 2029:

Likely Scenarios

Possible Developments

Unlikely but Possible

Preparing for the Future

Strategic approaches to navigate format evolution:

For Personal Photo Collections

For Professional Workflows

For Developers and Businesses

The Constant: Change

Image format evolution never truly ends. Each generation of formats emerges to address new needs - higher resolutions, better compression, new features, changing use cases. AVIF and its contemporaries won't be the final image formats any more than JPG was. In another 10-15 years, we'll likely see new formats addressing limitations we haven't yet imagined, leveraging technologies that don't exist today.

The key to navigating this evolution is maintaining flexibility: use the best format for each specific purpose today while ensuring critical content remains accessible through widely-supported archival formats. Understanding the landscape helps you make informed decisions about which formats to adopt now and which to watch for future opportunities.

Conclusion

The future of image formats is simultaneously uncertain and predictable. AVIF appears poised to become the dominant web format, offering superior compression and broad support. HEIC will likely remain in the Apple ecosystem for smartphone photography. JPEG XL may succeed in specialized professional niches despite browser support challenges. And JPG, now over 30 years old, will persist as the universal compatibility format for years to come. Rather than a single format replacing all others, we're entering an era of format diversity where the right choice depends on specific use cases, platforms, and requirements. Understanding these emerging technologies and their trajectories helps you make better decisions today while preparing for the inevitable changes tomorrow will bring.
← Back to Blog
© 2024 HEICdrop.net. All rights reserved.

← Back to Blog