July 2026: New Standards Shape the Future of Information Technology

July 2026 brings a wave of critical updates to the world of Information Technology and Office Equipment, with five new standards published to guide innovation and interoperability across distributed artificial intelligence, smart city data models, immersive media, form design, and software sizing methodologies. This article—part 2 of 8 in our monthly coverage—dives deeply into each standard, highlighting what’s new, why it matters, and how your organization can benefit from adoption.

Overview / Introduction

The Information Technology sector continues to evolve rapidly, demanding global alignment on data models, APIs, software measurement, immersive content, and the smart cities of tomorrow. International standards ensure that developments in artificial intelligence, IoT, city data exchange, and media technologies can be seamlessly integrated, deployed securely, and managed efficiently.

For professionals in software engineering, systems integration, procurement, and IT management, understanding and implementing the latest standards is crucial for ensuring compliance, efficiency, and long-term success. In this article, you'll learn about the scope and significance of July's new standards, discover practical highlights, and gain the insights you need to stay ahead in the increasingly complex information technology landscape.

Detailed Standards Coverage

ISO/IEC 23093-6:2026 - Media Data Formats and APIs for Distributed AI Processing

Information technology — Internet of media things — Part 6: Media data formats and application programming interface (API) for distributed artificial intelligence (AI) processing

This forward-looking standard addresses the growing need for interoperable interfaces and data formats in AI-driven media environments. It specifies both the syntax and semantics for description schemes used by media analysers participating in distributed AI processing. Additionally, it introduces a comprehensive set of application programming interfaces (APIs) that enable media devices (or “media things”) to exchange analysis data efficiently.

The standard's scope covers a rich set of APIs—from gesture and face recognition to healthcare data generators and security alerting. Its modular approach allows developers and system architects to create distributed, intelligent media ecosystems where devices collaborate in real time without proprietary lock-in.

Who needs to comply?

• Manufacturers of smart media devices and IoT products
• Media analytics software vendors
• Developers of distributed AI solutions for entertainment, security, healthcare, smart homes, and more

Key implications: Integrating these APIs and data formats supports scalable, robust, AI-powered media ecosystems. It accelerates product development, ensures compatibility, and reduces integration costs across the Internet of Media Things.

Key highlights:

• Unified data exchange formats for AI-driven media analysis
• Standardized APIs for a wide range of media functions (gesture, face recognition, content classification, healthcare, and more)
• Supports modular, composable architectures for distributed intelligence

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 23093-6:2026 on iTeh Standards

ISO/TS 5087-3:2026 - City Data Model: Service Level Concepts for Transport

Information technology — City data model — Part 3: Service level concepts for transport

Smart cities rely on shared, consistent, and semantically precise data models to ensure interoperability across urban systems. This technical specification defines an ontology for describing service level concepts in urban transport, building on foundational city data standards (ISO/IEC 5087-1 and 5087-2). These well-structured ontologies make it possible for transport, utilities, public safety, and other city services to speak a common language.

The standard provides patterns and formalizations for various transport domains: road, rail, micromobility, pedestrian networks, public transport systems, and travel corridors. This establishes the semantics needed for effective data sharing, planning, and analytics in smart city projects.

Who needs to comply?

• Municipal information systems departments
• Developers of urban analytics and smart city platforms
• Transport agencies, system integrators, and planners

Practical implications: Consistency in data exchange and analysis across city services, supporting better planning, real-time coordination, and the efficient delivery of transport-related services.

Key highlights:

• Precise transport ontologies for smart cities
• Supports interoperability and analytics across city domains
• Enables service-level planning, integration, and semantic consistency

Access the full standard:View ISO/TS 5087-3:2026 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 19763-13:2026 - Metamodel for Form Design Registration

Information technology — Metamodel framework for interoperability (MFI) — Part 13: Metamodel for form design registration

Effective data exchange relies on the correct design and registration of information capture forms, whether in healthcare, e-government, business, or social research. This standard provides a detailed metamodel to describe the structure and semantics of implemented forms, decoupled from specific application domains or formats.

By specifying how form designs can be described, registered, and compared, the standard enables integration, harmonization, and consistent implementation across systems. It introduces key constructs for representing form elements, constraints, response fields (including new media annotation types), and relationships between forms.

Who should implement?

• Architects and developers of data management and B2B/B2G platforms
• Organizations building interoperable solutions for health, government, research, and enterprise domains
• Data quality and integration specialists

Practical implications: Organizations can more easily register, exchange, and analyze forms between systems. This supports regulatory compliance (e.g., medical data exchange), process digitization, and analytics.

Key highlights:

• Universal metamodel for form design registration
• Enables comparison, registration, and harmonization of forms
• Supports both paper and electronic forms, with new support for media annotation responses

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 19763-13:2026 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 23090-30:2026 - Low Latency, Low Complexity LiDAR Coding

Information technology — Coded representation of immersive media — Part 30: Low latency, low complexity light detection and ranging (LiDAR) coding

With the surge in immersive media, autonomous vehicles, robotics, and digital twins, efficient processing and transmission of LiDAR data is more important than ever. This cutting-edge standard specifies techniques and data formats for low latency, low complexity coding of LiDAR signals, addressing the bottlenecks of traditional high-fidelity immersive applications.

This standard covers the syntax for coding point clouds, handling attributes (such as color, reflectance, and frame indexing), decoding methods, and relationships to output point cloud representations. The result: real-world LiDAR applications can now process, share, and visualize 3D data faster, using less bandwidth and compute resources.

Who will benefit?

• Developers of AR/VR, simulation, and gaming platforms
• Autonomous vehicles and robotics manufacturers
• Digital twin software vendors and data integrators

Practical implications: Accelerates the innovation and deployment of immersive and spatial computing solutions while reducing costs and technical barriers.

Key highlights:

• Efficient coding of LiDAR point cloud data for low-latency applications
• Supports high-quality immersive media use cases
• Reduces computational and bandwidth requirements in distributed systems

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 23090-30:2026 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 25986:2026 - NESMA Functional Size Measurement: Easy Functional Sizing (EFS)

Software engineering — NESMA functional size measurement method — Easy functional sizing (EFS)

Software estimation, productivity tracking, and project benchmarking rely on accurate, comparable sizing methods. ISO/IEC 25986 introduces Easy Functional Sizing (EFS), a simplified version of the NESMA method for functional size measurement based on internationally recognized function point analysis.

EFS delivers a practical, streamlined approach for sizing information systems, particularly in Agile and DevOps environments. The standard describes how to identify user functions (Logical Files, External Inputs, and Outputs), assign function points, and quantify the size of software products or projects accordingly.

Target audience:

• Software project managers, estimators, and procurement specialists
• Agile teams seeking faster, consistent sizing
• Organizations needing objective comparison for software development contracts

Implementation impact: Accelerates and standardizes functional sizing, supports cost estimation, productivity tracking, and contractual negotiations, all while remaining easy for novices to adopt.

Key highlights:

• Objective, streamlined method for functional size measurement
• Aligns with established NESMA and ISO/IEC standards
• Enables consistent, comparable sizing for Agile/DevOps teams

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 25986:2026 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The July 2026 release of these Information Technology standards signals substantial changes for organizations seeking to maintain competitive advantage and regulatory compliance. By:

• Streamlining interoperability in distributed AI and IoT-driven media (ISO/IEC 23093-6:2026)
• Enabling semantic consistency and smart city scalability in transport (ISO/TS 5087-3:2026)
• Providing a universal foundation for registering and exchanging data capture forms (ISO/IEC 19763-13:2026)
• Advancing immersive applications with efficient LiDAR data handling (ISO/IEC 23090-30:2026)
• Making software measurement more accessible and effective (ISO/IEC 25986:2026)

your business can leverage best-in-class methodologies for digital transformation.

Compliance considerations and timelines:

• Review your current solutions for alignment with the new API and data format standards.
• For smart city and transport organizations, adopting the new ontology is critical for interoperability.
• Early adoption ensures smoother integration, risk mitigation, and stronger stakeholder engagement.
• The standards are effective upon publication—transition planning should begin now.

Benefits:

• Enhanced efficiency, scalability, and cost savings
• Reduced integration and compliance risks
• Access to larger ecosystems (smart cities, AI platforms, cross-industry solutions)
• Stronger position for innovation with standardized foundations

Risks of non-compliance:

• Interoperability and integration failures in multi-vendor projects
• Increased development and maintenance costs
• Regulatory penalties or exclusion from public sector tenders

Technical Insights

Across these five standards, common technical threads emerge that will shape architecture and implementation strategies:

• Standardized APIs and data schemas: Common interfaces make integration and modularization easier, reducing vendor lock-in and promoting open innovation.
• Semantic modeling and ontologies: Explicit definition of concepts, attributes, and relationships ensures data meaning is consistent across diverse systems—critical for smart cities, healthcare, finance, and more.
• Low-latency, low-complexity coding: Optimizations for coding large datasets (e.g., LiDAR point clouds) are essential for real-time, edge, and immersive applications.
• Universal metamodels for registration: Foundation for data governance, provenance, quality, and future analytics.
• Streamlined, accessible sizing methodologies: Quick adoption and objective measures are compatible with fast-paced development methods and procurement processes.

Implementation best practices:

1. Begin by mapping your organization’s needs to the relevant standards
2. Engage cross-functional teams (IT, project management, compliance, procurement) for a gap analysis
3. Update APIs and data models to match new schemas and interfaces
4. Train teams on the updated standards and transition schedules
5. Consider pilot projects to validate interoperability and measure early value

Testing and certification:

• Ensure your software or hardware is validated against normative requirements
• Leverage accredited testing labs where available
• Include certification in procurement and partnership criteria for new projects

Conclusion / Next Steps

The July 2026 standards for Information Technology offer crucial guidance and forward-thinking frameworks for AI, city data, immersive experiences, form management, and software engineering. They lay the groundwork for scalable, future-proof solutions—supporting innovation, compliance, and strategic agility for organizations worldwide.

Key takeaways:

• Adopt the new APIs and ontologies for AI-based media, city services, and data exchange
• Implement EFS for transparent, efficient software sizing and procurement
• Upgrade your media and simulation solutions to state-of-the-art LiDAR coding
• Drive your organization’s digital strategy with the best global practices

Recommendations:

• Explore the full text of each standard to understand detailed requirements
• Assess your current projects for alignment and future-proofing
• Stay proactively updated by subscribing to standard alerts and updates via iTeh Standards

Ready to lead in the next era of information technology? Access the standards, empower your teams, and future-proof your digital initiatives today.