The organisation behind the JPEG format, the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) has unveiled a new format called JPEG XS. The image-compression process in JPEG XS uses less energy so higher-quality images can be sent with low latency over IP networks. JPEG XS has been created for use in sectors such as AR and VR, autonomous cars and professional movie editing.
The file size of JPEG XS is actually bigger than a standard JPEG file, (compression is x6 rather than x10), but JPEG XS uses a compression that is both faster and simpler than the original jpeg.
A JPEG XS will take up more hard drive space but will stream faster using Wi-Fi or 5G. The aim is to stream the files instead of storing them in smartphones or other devices with limited memory. The organisation also says that the faster compression could also allow higher resolution and increased frame rates, such as streaming in 8K.
Because the files are actually larger than a regular JPEG, the file type creates high-quality footage while simultaneously speeding up the streaming process.
"For the first time in the history of image coding, we are compressing less in order to better preserve quality, and we are making the process faster while using less energy," says Professor Ebrahimi, who runs EPFL’s Multimedia Signal Processing Group. "We want to be smarter in how we do things. The idea is to use less resources, and use them more wisely. This is a real paradigm shift."