The file formats are the basis of all applications in the modern world. All the applications, from our phones to our computers, store the data in digital format in this container.
Then display them as we pen. A single track can be opened in many applications, but the features will get clipped as per the format of the application, or they will not get supported there.
Microsoft very popularly develops the AVI container file format. The MOV is also a file format developed by Apple. Here are some differences between AVI and MOV.
Key Takeaways
- MOV is a video file format developed by Apple, whereas AVI is a video file format developed by Microsoft.
- MOV files have better compression and higher quality than AVI files, but media players less widely support them.
- AVI files are commonly used and can be played on almost any media player, whereas MOV files are primarily used on Apple devices.
MOV vs AVI
MOV is the extension of the QuickTime file format made by Apple, and the format is used to store audio, text, video, and effects information. AVI stands for Audio Video Interleave file, and it is a file format that contains all the video and audio information of a track. It is supported by all devices.
The MOV is an application developed by Apple. This file format is much updated. This format can store information about audio, video, texts, and effects.
The files here are small in size but have very high-quality audio and video effects. This appeared in the market in recent years. It is a new file format by Apple Inc.
The AVI format is an acronym for Audio Video Interleave file. This format contains all the audio and video information of a track. All devices like video players and smartphones almost support this information.
Microsoft improved the application and launched the WVM application with more improved features and abandoned AVI as it was not able to compete with improved devices.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of comparison | MOV | AVI |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | This is a multimedia file QuickTime (.mov) that contains all the data of tracks such as audio, video, text, etc. | It is an acronym for Audio Video Interleave. It is also a file format containing audio and video data. |
| Developed by | Apple Inc. | Microsoft |
| File size supported | Small files are supported | Big files are supported |
| Quality | It is high quality as compared to AVI | The quality is poor as compared to MOV |
| Popularity | It is less popular due to its limited device support | It is very popular as it is supported on maximum number of devices. |
What is MOV?
QuickTime is a file format developed by Apple. This file format is much updated. The extension of the format is .mov. This format can store information about the audio and video as well as texts and effects.
The files here are small in size but have very high-quality audio and video effects. This appeared in the market in recent years. It is a new file format by Apple Inc.
This multimedia file container can store one or more track information. All video formats are not supported here. Only the videos that are supported by the QuickTime codec manager are supported here.
Similarly, the audio formats that are available through Sound Manager or CoreAudio are supported. This file format is not supported on all devices.
All codecs are also not supported here. Only H.264 is supported by MOV. The coding type of MOV is Moov. This format has so many limitations and supports only some specific devices.
Another cause is that due o o many features, the cost of these devices also moves high. So the popularity of this format is very low as compared to the AVI format.
What is AVI?
The AVI format is an acronym for Audio Video Interleave file. This format contains all the audio and video information of a track. All devices like video players and smartphones almost support this information.
Microsoft improved the application and launched the WVM application with more improved features and abandoned AVI as it was not able to compete with improved devices.
The AVI files do not contain the aspect ratio. The aspect ratio is the height-to-width ratio of the screen. The video files many times’ get compressed.
This creates a problem with the picture quality. As the syncing of the lines on the screen is not done properly.
The AVI format is updated to different other formats like MP4, WVM, etc., but the AVI is most popular due to its universal use in all available devices.
The chapters and subtitles in AVI are third-party controlled. They do not have the facility of text storage in the format.
AVI supports all video formats that are through VFW (Video for Windows). AVI also supports all audio formats through ACM (Audio Compression Manager).
Main Differences Between MOV and AVI
- MOV is a multimedia file the QuickTime (.mov) that contains all the data of tracks such as audio, video, text, etc. On the other hand, AVI is an acronym for Audio Video Interleave. It is also a file format containing audio and video data.
- MOV was developed by Apple Inc., whereas Microsoft developed the AVI.
- In MOV, small files are supported. In contrast, in AVI, the big files are supported
- MOV is high quality as compared to AVI. The quality is poor as compared to MOV.
- MOV is less popular due to its limited device support, but on the other hand, AVI is very popular as it is supported in maximum number of devices.
Last Updated : 15 June, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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The breakdown of key differences and the detailed overview of MOV and AVI file formats are impressive, thanks for sharing!
I appreciate the detailed comparison between MOV and AVI, it’s very informative.
Thank you for explaining the key differences between MOV and AVI in such a clear and concise manner.
The explanation of the differences between MOV and AVI is very thorough and detailed, great article!
The article provides an in-depth analysis of the file formats MOV and AVI, well done.
The detailed comparison table and explanations are very helpful in understanding the distinctions between MOV and AVI.