| Extension | MP4 |
| Full Name | MPEG-4 |
| Type | Video |
| Mime Type | video/mp4 |
| Format | Binary |
An MP4 file is a modern standard format for storing high-quality motion video in a highly compact and efficient file size. The specific compression algorithm used within an MP4 file can vary from file to file; however, they all enable what would otherwise be a large amount of uncompressed data to be reduced to a fraction of the original size with little or no noticeable difference in playback quality.
Due to their widespread support, MP4 files can be loaded into most video editing applications and played with most video playback software with no additional drivers. Most video sharing sites, such as YouTube, support MP4 as a format when uploading, and most tablets and smart phones can record in the MP4 format.
Audio stored within an MP4 file is usually stored in the MP3 format, taking advantage of that format's high quality and compression capabilities.
| Extension | 3GP |
| Full Name | Multimedia Container Format |
| Type | Video |
| Mime Type | video/3gpp |
| Format | Binary |
3GP files are a legacy video format originally designed for use with early mobile and internet devices. The format is capable of storing video and audio data in a highly compressed format. This naturally led to a decrease in quality but was heavily driven by the need to minimize file size, thus reducing the bandwidth usage of the early devices.
The video audio and video compression were highly effective and allowed video clips created on these devices to be shared without consuming large amounts of bandwidth. The low-resolution camera and displays of these early mobile devices also helped keep file sizes to a minimum.
The 3GP format is still fairly common today; however, it is in decline and has mostly been replaced by other video formats, such as MP4. We have a selection of M4A converter tools for converting these files into other formats if native video editing applications lack such features.
