AVIF and ICNS file formats have transformed the digital image world. The former is the next-generation format, while ICNS is among the first image formats. Given their wider applicability, each format is suitable in its use area but depends on the user's needs owing to its matchless features.
The article broadly highlights and discusses ICNS vs. AVIF to guide users on the best format based on performance, file size, compression method, structure, image quality, storage needs, web browser support, animation, and transparency support.
When is AVIF better than ICNS?
AVIF images are widely supported and highly compatible with almost all web browsers, platforms, software, apps, and operating systems, while ICNS images are not widely supported across web browsers and platforms and do not work in non-MacOS programs and software.
AVIF file extension has remarkable visual appeal and sharpness. It is supported in most browsers, making it suitable for different specialized applications, such as texts, graphics, and gradients in movie posters.
When is ICNS better than AVIF?
ICNS images are easily edited and permit scalability while retaining their high-resolution levels, while AVIF images are high-quality but become indistinct with up or downscaling. This makes it suitable for creating sharp, visually appealing, unique photos, desktop shortcuts, and application icons.
An ICNS file extension supports transparency using its 1-bit and 8-bit alpha channels, allows easy editing, can be scaled downwards or upwards to attain desired screen limits, and can be used to create high-quality content, including computer icons.
ICNS versus AVIF Table Comparison
| Element | ICNS | AVIF |
| Transparency | Supports alpha channel transparency | Supports alpha channel transparency |
| File Size | Larger files compared to AVIF. | Smaller files compared to ICNS files. |
| Image Quality | High-quality images, but lower than AVIF images. | High-quality images than ICNS Images. |
| Performance | Increased image loading times than AVIF images. | Reduced image loading times than ICNS images. |
| Structure | Raster-based: Comprises of a header and binary icon data. | Raster-based: Has file type box, container, actual image data, and metadata. |
| Animation | Supports animations. | Supports animations. |
| Storage | Larger with more storage space demand than AVIF. | Smaller with less storage space demand than ICNS. |
| Compression | Supports lossless and PackBits compression. | Supports lossy and lossless compression. |
| Browser Support | Limited browser support compared to AVIF. | Universal web browser support compared to ICNS. |
Differences and similarities between AVIF and ICNS images
AVIF and ICNS are versatile formats supporting lossless compression, transparency, and animation. However, ICNS versus AVIF differs in image quality, file size, PackBits, lossy compression methods, web browser support, storage demands, structure, and performance.
Transparency
AVIF and ICNS files support alpha channel transparency. For instance, AVIF file types support transparency via their transparent backgrounds, which permit transparency data to be stored and supported together with lossless and lossy data. They allow data transparency at varying image levels and support represented images with definite opacities. ICNS files contain one or more images in PNG format. The format is handy as a base for the ICNS as it allows transparency.
File Size
AVIF file is significantly smaller than an ICNS file. AVIF stores individually compressed files using AV1 video codec, resulting in smaller files than ICNS files. Nevertheless, an ICNS file stores single or multiple icons of different sizes and color depths that become larger when pooled together.
Conversely, ICNS retains all file data using PackBits or lossless compression, making a single file size range between 4KB and 660 KB. Besides, ICNS files can be scaled up or down to fit diverse screen sizes, which is not possible with AVIF files. Hence, choose AVIF instead of ICNS for smaller file sizes.
Image Quality
Both AVIF and ICNS files are high-quality and high-resolution file formats. AVIF supports many color profiles, unlike the limited color depths of ICNS files, which only support a maximum of 8 bits per color channel. The AVIF file format supports up to 12-bit color depths per channel. It also supports multiple color sub-sampling formats, including HDR, WCR, YUV 420, Pro Photo RGB, sRGB, YUV 444, Rce 2020, ICC profile, and standard and non-standard color spaces.
Unlike AVIF, ICNS can be scaled up or down without losing image quality. The ICNS color depth is ideal for creating various icons but could be more detailed and data-rich. It only supports IHDR, ARGB, and RGB color profiles.
Performance
AVIF files are compressed using AV1 video codec algorithms, resulting in smaller, highly web-responsive files or images. On the other hand, ICNS files are compressed individually, although they can be stored as multiple files, making the format larger than the AVIF file type. As a result, ICNS files have a slower loading time on websites than an AVIF file.
Structure
AVIF and ICNS file types are bitmapped formats. However, they have different structural components, making them complicated to compare. An ICNS file contains a file header and binary icon data. Its header has 8 bytes of data: four for the magic literal and four for the file length. The file size and type are stored in the icon data section for each image, followed by the binary image data.
In contrast, AVIF is structured in a classified form of nested boxes that store metadata and data. An AVIF has a File Type Box (ftyp) that is responsible for identifying the file and specifying the format version used at the top-lying container. The ftyp container has extra boxes like The Item Properties Box (iprp), Item Location Box (iloc), and Media Data Box (mdat) with various metadata and actual image data.
Animation
AVIF and ICNS formats inherently support lively content, animated images, and animations. For instance, the AVIF file format supports animation and live images via its multilayer image storage sequence. AVIF is supported and compatible with HIEF, which supports different image elements and sequences.
In contrast, ICNS has icon features that allow computer apps and website icons to be customized and support multiple resolution levels and color depths. Both formats are ideal for creating animations or lively content. Yet animated ICNS uses 1-bit and 8-bit alpha channels, suitable for visually sharp and presentable animations.
Storage
AVIF stores lossless and lossy compressed data using the AV1 video codec algorithm, while ICNS uses PackBits algorithms to compress and store data. As such, the advanced and most effective compression technique that AVIF uses results in smaller files with less storage demands than the ICNS files. ICNS compresses and stores multiple files stored in icons for programs, files, and folders, making them larger than AVIF files.
Note that ICNS and AVF compressed data can last indefinitely when handled and stored properly under conducive storage conditions and storage mediums such as PPackageContents, Cloud, Folders, Icon directories, Hard Drive, Base64 encoding, Content Delivery Networks, and File Systems.
Compression
Certain pixel data sections are compressed using lossless and PackBits compression in an ICNS, while AVIF supports lossy and lossless compression with the AV1 video codec. The ICNS's ARGB and 24-bit RGB pixel data are compressed per channel with a format identical to PackBits.
ICNS files contain many single strings of pixels, which consume more memory space. ICNS's PackBits algorithms mainly depend on the RLE algorithm to compress its files to meet users' needs. ICNS ensures that redundant ICNS file data, existing as recurrent image data, is embodied accurately.
In contrast, AVIF compression is more effective than ICNS compression. AVIF uses lossless and lossy compression with the AV1 codec, significantly minimizing image size.
The lossy method compresses AVIF data in runs using the AV1 compression algorithm in a HEIF container format, deleting specific image data and losing image quality. Its lossless compression minimizes image data using the AV1, preserving all image data.
Browser Support
AVIF is widely supported by most web browsers, whereas ICNS has limited browser support because it is merely supported by Firefox and Chrome. However, it is hardly supported by most new and old web browsers, such as Discord, Internet Explorer, Opera, Vivaldi, Brave, Safari, Edge, and Samsung Internet.
Unlike the ICNS image type, AVIF enjoys broad browser support in Firefox, Safari, Discord, Opera, Brave, Chrome, Edge, Samsung Internet, and Vivaldi but is only incompatible with Internet Explorer. As such, choose AVIF over ICNS for broader browser compatibility.
Convert AVIF to ICNS or ICNS to AVIF
Convert AVIF to ICNS using the most reliable online tool, Convertjack. ICNS files are smaller, editable, scalable, and high-resolution and can be displayed optimally on varying screen sizes without losing image quality.
Alternatively, Convertjack is deemed the ideal online ICNS to AVIF converter. The AVIF format is suitable because it is significantly smaller, high-quality, universally supported across almost all web browsers, and compatible with most software and programs.