The current-generation Google Tensor G3 chip used in the Pixel 8 series has a secret feature: built-in support for the AV1 codec. This means it is the first smartphone processor capable of AV1 video processing. Impressively, the processor can encode video at 4K and 60 frames per second (FPS) resolution. For those who don’t know, AV1 is a new video compression standard that promises better quality and compression compared to the older H.264 codec.

Tech Sleuth Mishal Rahman shared a code snippet confirming that the AV1 processor supports up to 4K resolution and 60 FPS. This puts the Tensor G3 ahead of competitors like Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Samsung in terms of this particular coding capability.

Despite AV1 Tensor G3 support, there are currently no widely used apps that can use the ability to encode at 4K 60 FPS, including Google’s own Pixel Camera app.

Without software support, users will not be able to take advantage of this hardware feature immediately. Therefore, the lack of AV1 coding support in other chipsets may be due to compatibility issues. Currently, the H.264 format is widely used and is supported by a codec that allows videos to be easily viewed on various devices.

However, it should be noted that the Apple A17 Pro chip used in the iPhone 15 Pro models also supports AV1 decoding but not encoding. Maybe Google could introduce AV1 encoding support in future versions of the Tensor chip and update the camera app to use this feature.

But once applications start supporting AV1 encoding at 4K 60fps, Tensor G3’s unique capabilities will remain a technical curiosity rather than a practical benefit for users.