iWorld
Instagram cracks the code on iPhone video brilliance
MUMBAI: Every iPhone video carries a secret ingredient: tiny packets of data that tell screens exactly how bright and vivid to display footage. For three years, Instagram binned them. Not anymore.
Chris Ellsworth, Cosmin Stejerean and Hassene Tmar—engineers at Meta—have cracked a thorny problem that made high dynamic range (HDR) videos look drab on Instagram’s iOS app, particularly when viewed in dim light or at low screen brightness. The culprits were two pieces of metadata embedded in iPhone recordings: Dolby Vision, which enhances colour, brightness and contrast, and ambient viewing environment (amve), which adjusts rendering based on lighting conditions.
Since 2022, Instagram has supported HDR video. But its encoding pipeline, built on FFmpeg, an open-source tool, stripped out both metadata types. The result? Pictures that looked nothing like their creators intended.
The fix required surgical precision across three stages of video processing. First, the team convinced FFmpeg’s developers to add amve support in 2024. The data proved remarkably consistent—every frame carried identical values—allowing a quick workaround whilst proper support landed.
Dolby Vision proved trickier. iPhones encode video in HEVC format using profile 8.4, but Instagram delivers AV1 and VP9 codecs instead. Meta collaborated with Dolby and FFmpeg developers to implement profile 10, allowing Dolby Vision metadata to travel within AV1 streams. They also built custom extraction tools to feed metadata into Apple’s display layer, since Instagram decodes video independently rather than using Apple’s standard player.
Then came a nasty surprise. Initial tests showed viewers watched less video with Dolby Vision enabled. The metadata added roughly 100 kilobits per second to file sizes—enough to slow loading times and send impatient scrollers elsewhere. Meta’s solution: implement a compressed format that slashed overhead to 25 kbps, requiring another 2,000 lines of code for compression and decompression.
The second test vindicated the effort. Viewers spent more time watching HDR videos, particularly in low-light conditions where proper metadata reduced eye strain. Instagram for iOS now delivers Dolby Vision metadata on all AV1 encodings derived from iPhone HDR uploads, making it Meta’s first app with full support. Facebook Reels is next in line.
The broader web remains a problem child. Browser and display support for Dolby Vision is patchy, meaning most readers cannot see the difference on this page. For that, you will need an iPhone and Instagram.
Three years to fix discarded data. But for anyone squinting at their screen in bed, scrolling through Reels at 2am, it matters rather a lot.
iWorld
Frodoh, Chaupal introduce non-intrusive first-screen ads for OTT platforms
New ad-tech layer unlocks revenue without interrupting OTT viewing
MUMBAI: Frodoh has partnered with regional OTT platform Chaupal to roll out what it calls an industry-first “first-screen” monetisation framework, aimed at helping subscription-led streaming services generate additional revenue without interrupting content viewing.
The new model focuses on connected TV home screens, introducing ad formats that sit within the discovery layer rather than the content itself. In simple terms, viewers may notice subtle brand placements while browsing, but once they hit play, the experience remains ad-free.
The technology is designed to tap into high-attention areas such as session depth, viewing intent and discovery behaviour, turning previously unused interface space into monetisable real estate. For OTT platforms, this opens up a fresh revenue stream without diluting the premium experience that subscribers expect.
Chaupal chief executive officer Sandeep Bansal said the move balances growth with user trust. “By partnering with Frodoh, we are introducing a sophisticated ‘first-screen’ monetisation layer that integrates seamlessly into our UI, ensuring discovery remains native and non-intrusive while keeping content consumption ad-free.”
From Frodoh’s side, the pitch is clear: expand the ad pie without cluttering the screen. Frodoh founder and chief executive officer Russhabh R Thakkar said the framework creates a new category of advertising by unlocking high-visibility home screen inventory that was previously untapped.
Industry watchers see this as part of a broader shift in OTT monetisation strategies, especially as subscription platforms look to diversify revenue without risking churn. With connected TV usage rising steadily, the home screen is quickly becoming the next battleground for attention.
If the model scales, this partnership could signal a subtle but significant shift in how OTT platforms monetise, proving that sometimes, the most valuable ad space is the one you see before the show even begins.
