3GP and MOV explained
3GP is a cut-down MP4 variant designed for the bandwidth and storage limits of early mobile phones. Resolution and bitrate are typically very low.
MOV is Apple's QuickTime container. Structurally it is very close to MP4 — the two share an ancestor — but MOV files often use codecs like ProRes that general-purpose players cannot decode.
- Where 3GP files come from
- Videos recorded on feature phones and early smartphones.
- Where MOV is used
- iPhone and Mac screen recordings, and professional video editing.