Report: Pixel Value Reduction can increase video watch time
April 15, 2026
A report from InterDigital, a wireless, video and AI technology research and development company, and CCS Insight, the analyst firm, explores how energy aware display technology can alleviate the growing sustainability and infrastructure challenges driven by rising global video consumption.
The report, titled Enabling Energy-Aware Display Technology in a Sustainable World, reveals that InterDigital’s AI-enabled Pixel Value Reduction (PVR) technology increased video watch time on smartphones by up to 22 per cent in controlled testing. Simultaneously, the technology reduced energy consumption across TVs, mobile devices, and networks, with up to 15 per cent energy saving on TVs.
Video now accounts for the majority of digital consumption, and the digital media and device ecosystem has begun to galvanise efforts to reconcile performance, cost, and sustainability. The report identifies PVR technology as a credible solution, explaining that it optimises pixel luminance and contrast in a way that aligns naturally with human visual perception. By applying the principle of ‘just noticeable difference’, PVR reduces display light output while avoiding any perceptible degradation in image quality.
The report reveals several key benefits:
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Extended viewing time: In controlled laboratory testing across five flagship‑class smartphones, AI‑enabled PVR extended watch-times by up to 22 per cent.
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Lower energy consumption: TV implementations have demonstrated energy savings of approximately 15 per cent.
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Broad applicability: The solution contributes to video and still image optimisation across OLED and AMOLED displays.
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Network efficiency gains: PVR can be applied prior to content transmission and deployed via the Green MPEG Standard, empowering network operators to manage energy use more efficiently.
The report also points to the growing importance of regulation and standardisation in driving sustainability. The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation framework and energy labelling initiatives are accelerating the need for measurable improvements in device efficiency, while groups like Green MPEG are embedding energy-related metadata into video streams to optimise encoding, decoding and display processes. This approach reframes energy as a controllable and measurable resource, not simply a by-product of media delivery, to cultivate a more sustainable and responsible digital ecosystem.
“Energy efficiency in the delivery of digital media is increasingly relevant as we observe growth in streaming and on-demand services,” said Rajesh Pankaj, Chief Technology Officer at InterDigital. “A technology like PVR has the ability to significantly reduce power consumption while still delivering a high‑quality user experience. This technology, if scaled to industry‑wide adoption through standards and collaboration, could be integral in reducing the environmental impact of digital media.”
“With video driving 74 per cent of mobile data traffic, it is clear that even small efficiency gains can have substantial benefits for both business and the environment”, said Ben Wood, Chief Marketing Officer at CCS Insight. “Energy-aware media processing represents a tangible framework to lower both operational costs and carbon impact across the entire content pipeline.”