Context-dependent in-call video codec switching

A system comprising:

• data processing hardware;
• and
• memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
• selecting, from a list of codecs, a first codec for communication between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, the first codec comprising an encoder;
• and
• during the communication between the first endpoint and the second endpoint:
• determining that the second endpoint comprises a capability to switch codecs during the communication;
• monitoring a performance of the encoder based on a comparison of an estimated bitrate for the communication with an actual bitrate at the encoder;
• determining a bitrate of the first codec during the communication based on the monitored performance;
• determining that the bitrate satisfies a switching threshold;
• and
• based on determining that the second endpoint comprises the capability to switch codecs during the communication and determining that the bitrate satisfies the switching threshold, switching the first codec to a second codec for the communication between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.