
The benefits of BPG
For starters, as mentioned above, BPG supports animation, so what does this mean in practical terms? With BPG, you can effectively create a GIF that’s half the size of the equivalent MP4. There’s also video inline play to consider. For instance, on mobile Safari browsers, no video can be played inline. BPGs come to the rescue: it’s possible to have BPGs that are as small as 5% of the original. Another thing is the high compression ratio. BPG is smaller than JPG, as well as Google’s WebP, which itself is a new image format that offers lossless image compression. To put things in context further, WebP is 26% smaller than PNG. Interestingly, WebP is already supported by both Google Chrome and Opera browsers, which does make WebP more accessible than BPG.
The downsides of BPG
As alluded to above, nothing is completely perfect, and that’s also the case with BPG. It does have some drawbacks, such as lack of native support, that extends its decompile time. In general, the larger your file, then the slower the decompiling time will be. Presently, decompiling time is approximately between 8 and 10 seconds. If browsers start to include native support for BPG, this time will drastically improve. There’s also main thread blocking to contend with, when you’re decompiling larger files. BPG is created by using HEVC video compression technology, which has been patented by a company called MPEG LA; the same company that owns the H.246 video codec. MPEG LA, being the patents’ owners, could eventually charge royalties on both software and hardware that has BPG decoders built in. In turn, this makes it somewhat unappealing for popular browsers such as Mozilla’s Firefox, open-source and free, to support the BPG format. Last but not least is the lack of sound support. While this may be okay with some — it’s not a video format after all — it would still be nice to have sound.Hard to change habits
Looking past these downsides, there’s the bigger issue to consider that many designers are simply used to JPG in spite of its drawbacks. While some may call it complacency, the fact is that many designers accept JPG and have become used to working with it across many different projects.
Summary
There’s no doubt about it. BPG is new, exciting and serves a need for smaller sizes and higher-quality graphics. In spite of these advantages, though, it is unlikely that designers will make a mass exodus from JPG and start using BPG overnight. That’s especially true when you consider the issues BPG may have with its lack of support from browsers and possible licensing issues as well. BPG is a fresh, exciting format. It delivers superior quality and smaller file size. But with a lack of native browser support, and potential licensing obstacles to it gaining that native support, whether the design community will be switching over to this file format in the next few years, remains to be seen.
Marc Schenker
Marc’s a copywriter who covers design news for Web Designer Depot. Find out more about him at thegloriouscompanyltd.com.
Read Next
30 Most Exciting New Tools for Designers, 2023
As we near the end of 2023, we wanted to take a look back over all the tools we collected over the past year, to pick…
3 Essential Design Trends, December 2023
While we love the holidays, too much of a seasonal theme can get overwhelming. Thankfully, these design trends strike a…
10 Easy Ways to Make Money as a Web Designer
When you’re a web designer, the logical way to make money is designing websites; you can apply for a job at an agency,…
By Louise North
The 10 Most Hated Fonts of All Time
Remember when Comic Sans wasn’t the butt of the jokes? Long for the days when we actually enjoyed using the Impact…
15 Best New Fonts, November 2023
2023 is almost over, and the new fonts are still coming thick and fast. This month, we’ve found some awesome variable…
By Ben Moss
Old School Web Techniques Best Forgotten
When the web first entered the public consciousness back in the 90s, it was primarily text-based with minimal design…
By Simon Sterne
20 Best New Websites, November 2023
As the nights draw in for the Northern hemisphere, what better way to brighten your day than by soaking up some design…
30 Amazing Chrome Extensions for Designers and Developers
Searching for a tool to make cross-platform design a breeze? Desperate for an extension that helps you figure out the…
By Robert Reeve
Exciting New Tools for Designers, November 2023
We’ve got a mix of handy image helpers, useful design assets, and clever productivity tools, amongst other treats. Some…
The Dangers of Doomscrolling for Designers and How to Break Free
As a creative professional, navigating the digital realm is second nature to you. It’s normal to follow an endless…
By Louise North
From Image Adjustments to AI: Photoshop Through the Years
Remember when Merriam-Webster added Photoshop to the dictionary back in 2008? Want to learn how AI is changing design…
By Max Walton
3 Essential Design Trends, November 2023
In the season of giving thanks, we often think of comfort and tradition. These are common themes with each of our three…