Recently, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) has started a new standardization activity called MPEG Multimedia Middleware (M3W). This activity covers the standardization for a middleware rrith a set of APIs. The standard middleware, called M3W, will support independent multimedia applications for hardware and software such as operating systems so that the portability and interoperability of multimedia applications are greatly improved. In this article, we will introduce the recent works on M3W standardization including the rationale that motivates the activity with the advantages of having the standardized middleware for multimedia application, component technologies being considered for the M3W, and the current status of the standardization.