[cm3]

Right now HEVC encoding is slow as molasses as is VP9. If Google improves libvpx encoding and pushes it into the same ballpark as libx264 there's a much higher chance of adoption. VP8 encoding is also slow and I don't know why Google can't manage to speed up libvpx with a team of experts vs the libx264 dev team.

[patrickaljord]

I think it's because Google is trying to avoid patents, libx264 doesn't.

[astrange]

x264 doesn't use any more patents than other encoders. It's simply better because the volunteer/contracting development model is better for software quality than corporate closed-allocation.

You're freed from short term thinking and team headcounts, so everyone who works on it can be a world-class expert… if you can find them.