We would use multimedia files everyday but rarely would we pay attention to their format, unless we went into issues of not being able to open a certain file.
Currently, there are 3 major types of media, audio files, video files and still image files.
For audio files, the most popular format is "MP3", which runs smoothly in both Windows and Mac systems. But now, with the popularity of Apple devices, their audio file format "m4a" has taken up the share of "mp3" as it is claimed to have better quality of sound while being at the same file size.
For video files, there is not a dominating format as "Mp3" does in audio files. But "MP4" is currently the most recognized video format.
For Image files, there are 3 major type of formats that have different functionality. The first one is "jpg" or "jpeg" which is the short for "Joint Photographic Experts Group", though the original meaning is not relevant. It is the most conventional image format. The second is "gif", which is the short form of "Graphic Interchange Format". "gif" is good for web elements due to its compressive nature and short videos could also be converted to gif pictures to display in quick-view environments. The third is "png" , which stands for "portable graphic format". It is ideal for digital art purposes, and its ability to use a transparency channel is its unique feature.