MPEG ratifies immersive audio, video, and DASH standards to final drafts

These ratifications move immersive media from proprietary silos into a standardized interoperable ecosystem. The shift to 6DoF support in both audio and video allows developers to build more interactive environments that remain functional across diverse hardware like the Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest 3. For streaming operators, the Sixth Edition of DASH provides a standardized bridge to reduce latency by up to 1.8 seconds, directly challenging Apple's LL-HLS dominance. Market observers should watch for the first commercial implementations of the MIV Simple MPI profile, which could significantly lower the hardware entry bar for volumetric video content on mobile devices.

The finalization of these standards occurs as the immersive technology market shows aggressive growth. Per research from SNS Insider in June 2026, the global 3D audio market alone is projected to reach approximately $60.94 billion by 2035, driven by the rollout of consumer products like the AirPods Pro 3 and Eclipsa Audio from Samsung and Google. These hardware trends are increasingly metadata-reliant, requiring the precise spatial anchors defined in the newly ratified MPEG-I Immersive Audio standard to ensure that sounds react in real-time to a user's head movement and physical position (6DoF).

In the streaming delivery sector, major players are already aligning with the new DASH updates to resolve long-standing fragmentation. Per reports from Qualabs in early 2025, Comcast researchers and other industry leads emphasize that the Sixth Edition's use of Common Media Client Data (CMCD) v2 and L3D extensions is critical for bridging the gap between DASH and LL-HLS. These tools allow streamers to use a single encoded source to serve both Apple and non-Apple ecosystems, significantly reducing storage and egress costs while achieving the sub-two-second latencies required for live sports.

Simultaneously, the development of the Avatar Representation Format (ARF) addresses a key friction point in the metaverse segment: digital identity portability. Per IETF and MPEG documentation from 2025, the ARF aims to use a JSON-based data model to allow users to export and import personalized models across different services. This standard, alongside the latest SEI metadata updates for HEVC that support neural network post-filtering and infrared imaging, signals MPEG's strategy to expand high-efficiency video coding into specialized domains such as medical imaging and industrial digital twins.