Compared to the popular JPEG format, which has been around since the early 1990s, AVIF is a relatively new file format for static images. The newcomer has yet to prove itself in practical tests. It is therefore difficult to reliably predict the future of the image format. However, due to its many advantages, the chances of a nationwide implementation are high.
Since the image format and video codec are still in development, further optimizations are likely, for example, in terms of playback quality and the reduction of file sizes. Presumably, the demands on the hardware will be reduced through code optimizations. AVIF is just as demanding as HEIF in terms of encoding (transfer or conversion of an output file into AVIF format using an algorithm) and decoding (decoding of encoded file information, e.g., for operational image processing or image display on the screen).
The video-on-demand provider Netflix is an important pioneer in the application of the new technology. The streaming specialist is currently testing the AVIF format in order, for example, to convert the platform’s user interface from SDR to HDR (e.g., to improve previews). A gradual introduction of the format is planned, whereby it is used for a continuously increasing number of content and platforms.
Browsers and operating systems are also getting used to the new technology. Opera (as of version 71) and Google Chrome (as of version 85) already support the format natively; Apple Safari does not yet support it. With Mozilla Firefox (as of version 77), manual configuration is necessary. Once you set the flag image.AVIF.enabled in about:config (in the address bar of the browser) to true, Firefox can display individual AVIF files. Microsoft Edge continues to struggle with the new image format. Because the current version (version 86) uses the Chromium engine by Google, AVIF support for the Windows 10 browser may only be a matter of time.
Windows 10 users can already work with the new image format and convert AVIF files in its Paint program. The corresponding free AV1 Video Extension is available for installation from the Microsoft store. The paid Paint.NET app has already integrated an AVIF file type plug-in. Windows users can open AVIF files and even save image files in the format (e.g., for the website). The free image processing software GIMP supports the AVIF format as of version 2.10.22.
You can already integrate AVIF images into your website today. A temporary solution that integrates AVIF into websites as an alternative to the standard JPEG requires only a bit of HTML code. The HTML tag <picture> is used to this end. It serves as a container that holds several image sources (<sources>) for one image (<img>). If the browser does not support images in WebP or AVIF format, the lowest image element is read out as a so-called fallback option. You can then specify a JPEG version of the image, which is supported by all common browsers: