PNG image format receives HDR and animation support in first spec update in decades

Why it matters: For decades, JPEG, PNG, and GIF have remained among the most popular image formats, even as newer options like WebP and AVIF have emerged. Now, PNG is getting its first meaningful update in over 20 years with the release of its third edition, making the format more versatile than ever.

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which manages web standards and guidelines, recently published new specifications for the PNG (Portable Network Graphics) image format. The updated format now supports animations, a wider range of colors, Exif metadata, and HDR. To enable HDR, the spec uses CICP – a compact labeling method that defines an image's color space with just four bytes of data, allowing high dynamic range without significantly increasing file size.

Furthermore, users won't have to wait for HDR PNGs to gain broad support. Chromium-based browsers (including Chrome and Edge), along with Firefox and Safari ...