If the file is not copy-protected, you can typically rename the extension from .m4v to .mp4 to play it on non-Apple media players.
The primary academic paper related to "M4V" (the framework, not just the file extension) was published on in June 2025. 576274.m4v
If your query refers to the technical nature of a .m4v file itself, it is a video container format developed by that is nearly identical to the standard MP4 format. If the file is not copy-protected, you can