Key Takeaways
1. PNG format was introduced in 1995 and has undergone multiple updates, with Version 3 recognized as a W3C standard in June 2025.
2. PNG offers lossless compression and supports transparent sections, making it superior to JPEG for quality, despite larger file sizes.
3. Version 3 of PNG allows for the inclusion of EXIF data, similar to JPEGs, providing metadata about the image.
4. Animated PNGs (APNGs) are now part of the W3C standard with Version 3, featuring new capabilities like HDR support.
5. Collaboration with major companies like Adobe, Apple, and Google ensures wide compatibility of PNG Version 3 across various applications and platforms.
The PNG file format made its debut in 1995 and was recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) starting in October 1996. The W3C updated the standard to its second version in November 2003. A working group has been working on the third version since September 2021, which was officially recognized as a W3C standard on June 24, 2025.
Advantages of PNG Over JPEG
When you compare PNG to JPEG, there are two main benefits. Firstly, PNG allows for lossless compression of images and graphics, which means they maintain better quality, although the file sizes are larger. Secondly, PNG can hold an alpha channel, which enables it to show transparent sections. The new Version 3 brings significant changes that enhance PNG’s appeal for contemporary use. Most importantly, PNGs can now include EXIF data, like JPEGs do, allowing metadata to show which camera took the picture and its location through GPS coordinates.
The Rise of Animated PNGs
Animated PNGs, or APNGs, have been around for a while and were initially created by Mozilla. However, with the arrival of PNG Version 3, they are now officially part of the W3C standard, which means more software is likely to support them in the future. The most interesting new capability is HDR support. Thanks to cICP, HDR PNGs are only 16 bytes heavier than SDR PNGs. If an ICC profile is embedded, the file would increase by 9MB.
Collaboration and Support
Version 3 of PNG was created in partnership with Adobe, Apple, and Google, so it is already compatible with many applications. This includes all browsers based on Chromium, Firefox, macOS, iOS, Adobe Photoshop, and DaVinci Resolve. Since PNG is often used for subtitles and overlays in news broadcasts, we can expect HDR support for these elements soon.
The World Wide Web Consortium is also focused on two additional enhancements for the PNG standard. First, they plan to modernize lossless compression to decrease PNG file sizes. Second, they aim to improve the compatibility of HDR images on SDR displays and vice versa.
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