September 2026: Key Developments in Information Technology Video Coding Standards

The September 2026 publication cycle has brought significant advancements to the field of Information Technology and Office Equipment, especially in the domain of video technologies. Three new international standards have been introduced, targeting video compression, efficiency, and supplemental data messaging. These updates deliver enhanced usability, streamlined formats, and innovative features for organizations working with digital video, immersive media, and heterogeneous environments. Here, we present an in-depth exploration of these three cornerstone standards, detailing what is new, how to achieve compliance, and the technical impact for your business.

Overview / Introduction

The role of video within Information Technology has expanded rapidly, underpinning everything from streaming and conferencing to cinema, surveillance, and immersive applications. As digital video quality, versatility, and transmission requirements grow, so does the need for robust, efficient, and interoperable standards.

International standards published by ISO/IEC provide critical specifications and guidelines to ensure interoperability, performance, and reliability across global markets. By setting requirements for video bitstreams, coding, and enhancement data, these standards ensure:

• High compression efficiency
• Flexible content delivery
• Reliable communications
• Broad compatibility across devices and platforms

This article walks Information Technology professionals through the latest standards in video coding and enhancement messaging, highlighting changes, implications, and actionable guidance.

Detailed Standards Coverage

ISO/IEC 23002-7:2026 – Versatile Supplemental Enhancement Information Messages for Coded Video Bitstreams

Information technology — MPEG video technologies — Part 7: Versatile supplemental enhancement information messages for coded video bitstreams

This fourth edition of the standard provides the detailed syntax and semantics for Video Usability Information (VUI) parameters and Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI) messages. These elements play a crucial role in enriching video streams with supplemental metadata—information that can aid decoding, display, accessibility, security, and system integration.

Scope and Requirements

ISO/IEC 23002-7:2026 is designed for use with various coded video bitstreams, notably those aligned with ITU-T H.266 | ISO/IEC 23090-3 (Versatile Video Coding – VVC), but retains sufficient genericity for broader application.

The standard defines:

• Syntax and semantics of VUI parameters
• A comprehensive suite of SEI messages, ranging from user data and display metadata to film grain, post-processing optimization, neural-network filtering, and more
• Methods for embedding, interpreting, or selectively ignoring these messages within video decoders and receivers

Who Should Comply?

This standard is relevant to:

• Developers and manufacturers of video encoders, decoders, set-top boxes, and broadcast infrastructure
• OTT streaming platforms and interactive media providers
• System integrators working with MPEG, HEVC, VVC, and related video bitstreams

Practical Implications & Changes

The 2026 revision introduces substantial enhancements over the previous edition. Notable new features include:

• Extended film grain and neural-network post-filter SEI messages
• New SEI messages for encoder optimization, object mask, digital signatures, generative AI, and packed regions
• Addition of text description, AI usage restriction, and image format metadata SEI messages

Organizations integrating these features benefit from improved error resilience, accessibility, advanced visual effects, and compliance support for content authentication.

Key highlights:

• Expands support for advanced video metadata (e.g., mastering display, film grain, ambient environment)
• Enables AI and neural network-based post-processing metadata
• Supports comprehensive digital signature and content verification mechanisms

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 23002-7:2026 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 23008-2:2026 – High Efficiency Video Coding

Information technology — High efficiency coding and media delivery in heterogeneous environments — Part 2: High efficiency video coding

The seventh edition of this renowned standard—widely known as HEVC or H.265—delivers a new generation of specifications for highly efficient video coding. It targets the needs of modern applications, from broadcast and live streaming to digital cinema, remote communication, and storage.

Scope and Requirements

ISO/IEC 23008-2:2026 defines:

• Specification of the syntax format, semantics, and decoding processes for high efficiency video coding
• Support for a vast range of profiles, tiers, and levels to suit different application and network environments
• Detailed provisions for scalability, multiview, 3D video coding, and robust bitstream architectures

The standard's hierarchical structure allows implementers to choose compliance subsets tailored for:

• High-resolution, high-dynamic-range video delivery
• Multi-layered and multidimensional video streams
• Lossless, intra, or inter-prediction coding for diverse requirements

Who Should Comply?

• Video codec developers targeting consumer electronics, mobile, and cloud environments
• Platform providers implementing digital media delivery and storage
• Television broadcasters, streaming services, and digital cinema system integrators

Practical Implications & Changes

The 2026 update builds on extensive industry feedback:

• Adds a new Multiview Main 10 profile for advanced camera array content
• Incorporates 12 new SEI messages (as referenced from ISO/IEC 23002-7:2026) covering digital signatures, AI, generative content, and performance tuning
• Updates interfaces for neural-network post-filtering and extends film grain feature support

Adoption of this standard ensures video platforms remain cutting-edge, efficient, and adaptable to evolving consumer and business needs.

Key highlights:

• Newly added Multiview Main 10 profile supporting advanced content
• Major enhancements in SEI messaging for digital authentication and AI tools
• Backward-compatible architecture with improved performance and extensibility

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 23008-2:2026 on iTeh Standards

ISO/IEC 23090-3:2026 – Versatile Video Coding for Immersive Media

Information technology — Coded representation of immersive media — Part 3: Versatile video coding

This fourth edition is at the cutting edge of video compression for immersive media. It introduces the Versatile Video Coding (VVC) technology, setting a new benchmark for video compression capability and versatility across a remarkably broad spectrum of applications—especially targeting 4K/8K streaming, high dynamic range, and 360° video.

Scope and Requirements

ISO/IEC 23090-3:2026 specifies:

• The syntax, semantics, and decoding processes for VVC
• Support for ultra-high-definition (UHD) video, high bit-depth and color, and advanced content formats (e.g., 360° video, wide color gamut)
• Profiles, tiers, and levels supporting a scalable approach to encoder and decoder design
• New SEI messaging and metadata integration, especially for immersive, generative, and AI-enhanced content

It’s engineered for adaptability, suiting everything from digital storage and TV broadcast to internet streaming and real-time communication.

Who Should Comply?

• Developers of next-generation codecs for UHD, immersive, and AI-augmented video systems
• Content distributors and streaming platforms seeking high-quality with optimal bandwidth usage
• Organizations deploying 360°/VR/AR content and platforms

Practical Implications & Changes

The 2026 edition significantly advances immersive media capabilities:

• Adds support for 15 supplemental SEI messages and extensive metadata for AI, digital signatures, object masks, and more (based on ISO/IEC 23002-7:2026)
• Delivers greater compression efficiency and application versatility than any previous generation
• Enables robust interoperability for video data interchange between diverse systems

Key highlights:

• Breakthrough compression efficiency for 4K, 8K, HDR, and immersive video
• Expanded SEI messaging, supporting digital authentication, AI usage, and detailed content metadata
• Scalable syntax structure for broad device, service, and application compatibility

Access the full standard:View ISO/IEC 23090-3:2026 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

Adopting these three new standards is a decisive move for any organization invested in digital video technologies, whether developing hardware, deploying streaming services, or integrating advanced video analytics and immersive platforms.

Effects on Businesses

• Enables delivery of higher-quality video at reduced bandwidth and storage cost
• Promotes interoperability and futureproofs platforms against evolving ecosystem demands
• Opens new possibilities for AI-driven video processing, detailed content authentication, and compliance with global market access requirements

Compliance Considerations

• Implementation timelines will depend on ecosystem readiness; early adoption ensures compatibility with coming generations of client and server technologies
• Backward compatibility and flexible profiles enable incremental migration
• Compliance with these standards reduces the risks of vendor lock-in and maximizes content/service reach

Benefits of Adoption

• Competitive advantage from leading-edge video quality and platform capabilities
• Access to advanced metadata for performance tuning, security, and user experiences
• Assurance of meeting global regulatory and interoperability requirements

Risks of Non-Compliance

• Incompatibility with updated client devices and global video delivery networks
• Potential inefficiencies resulting in higher operational costs or bandwidth limitations
• Reduced feature set for immersive content and advanced user interaction

Technical Insights

Common Technical Requirements Across Standards

While each standard offers unique features, they share several foundational technical elements:

• Conformance to clearly defined syntax, semantics, and decoding procedures for robustness
• Embedding of rich metadata through VUI and SEI mechanisms
• Tiered and profiled architectures for flexible scaling from embedded devices to enterprise servers

Implementation Best Practices

1. Assess Current System Architecture: Review codec, decoder, and streaming infrastructure for standards compatibility.
2. Plan for Incremental Integration: Leverage the backward compatibility and profile/tier options to minimize disruption.
3. Educate Development Teams: Ensure engineers and architects understand new SEI message capabilities and how to leverage them for metadata, AI, and digital authentication.
4. Participate in Testing and Interoperability Events: Engage in industry plugfests or testing events to verify compliance.

Testing and Certification

• Run comprehensive bitstream conformance tests provided by ISO/IEC and allied bodies
• Validate both encoder and decoder behaviour under all specified profiles and tiers
• Confirm handling of advanced SEI/VUI messages for security and accessibility requirements

Adopting a test-driven approach ensures smooth rollout and sustained compatibility with evolving standards.

Conclusion / Next Steps

The September 2026 suite of Information Technology and Office Equipment video standards—ISO/IEC 23002-7:2026, ISO/IEC 23008-2:2026, and ISO/IEC 23090-3:2026—heralds a new era of media efficiency, interactivity, and compliance. Organizations are encouraged to:

• Review and analyze the detailed standard documents
• Map requirements and gaps within existing workflows and products
• Begin phased adoption and validation for new SEI, VUI, and coding technologies
• Stay engaged with standards communities for updates and future amendments

These standards lay the groundwork for robust, scalable, and forward-looking video solutions across every market segment. Early adopters will be uniquely positioned to lead in high-quality media, immersive experience delivery, and next-generation digital ecosystems.

Stay informed, explore these standards in detail, and ensure your business remains at the forefront of global Information Technology advancements.