JoeyJun 25, 2025
Thorsten Leemhuis (acct. 2/4)

PNG is back!

https://www.programmax.net/articles/png-is-back/ (by Chris Blume)

A new PNG spec was just released! […]

[…] After 20 years of stagnation, PNG is back with renewed vigor!

What's new?

* Proper HDR support (future‐proof, too!)

* Finally recognizes APNGs (animations!)

* Officially supports Exif data

* General tidying upβ€”fixing errata, clarifications, etc.

#png

Jun 25, 2025 at 11:28amWeb
Show threadAlan Langford πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦πŸ§€πŸ§Šζ‘Jun 25, 2025
@knurd42 Great. Blinky PNGs, just what I always wanted.
Show threadPopcar Jun 25, 2025

@knurd42

>APNG support

I kinda thought we were over this considering animated WebPs and AVIF exist, was there really any interest in bringing back Animated PNGs?

Show threadπ˜‹π˜ͺ𝘳𝘬Jun 26, 2025
@popcar2 @knurd42
Show threadnaught101Jun 25, 2025
@knurd42 that's super cool.. When can we expect universal integration? Some time after the climate collapse?
Show threadnytpu, local echolocatorJun 25, 2025
@knurd42 Unfortunately literally everyone (including libpng) only implements a fraction of the original PNG spec, so I'm not really hopeful for any of these that weren't already de facto supported like Exif. I doubt extended color spaces would be supported very well in anything but pro photo software where it's already supported, for instance
Show threadProgramMaxJun 25, 2025

@nytpu @knurd42

Some of it has already landed in libpng. Other parts are currently landing. :)

Show threadsodiboo Jun 25, 2025
@nytpu @knurd42 Even if capabilities are not universally implemented, it's still valuable for the way they are implemented to be standardized and not rely on de facto hacks. I think this is very exciting indeed.
Show threadLuna D DragonJun 25, 2025
@knurd42 WOWW this is cool as hell thanks for posting about it would have missed it other wise <3
Show threadAndyJun 25, 2025
@knurd42 I think we hugged the site to death :(
Show threadvandorb12Jun 25, 2025
@knurd42 I thought all of these features and issue mitigations were addressed in the JPEGXL standard?
Show threadPeter FisherJun 25, 2025
@knurd42 will i have to buy an app from the windows store just to look at these images? (like heic).
Show threadLunaphiedJun 25, 2025
@knurd42 finallyyyyyy been waiting for an HDR spec for so long
Show threadJohn UlrikJun 25, 2025
@knurd42 Can’t wait for 2045 when all tools will finally have implemented the new version! πŸ€—
Show threadAlbi   πŸ‡΅πŸ‡± Jun 25, 2025
@knurd42 can we finally get proper arithmetic coding support?
I know it has been in the spec, but maybe this time.
Also 32 bit png anytime?
Show threadFish Id Wardrobe ⁂Jun 25, 2025
@knurd42 wait, it didn't support EXIF before?
Show threadπ•π• π•™π•’π•ŸNov 8

@fishidwardrobe @knurd42

No EXIF, no color profiles.

Show threadBasilJun 25, 2025
@knurd42 APNG is pronounced Jiff.
Show threadtxt.fileJun 26, 2025
@knurd42 will it be as successful as YAML1.2?
Show threadRackuur Jun 26, 2025
@knurd42 oh no, they changed something. stop changing existing standards
Show threadCTHULHU KAWAIIJun 26, 2025
@knurd42 Ok but APNG with sound when 🀑
Show threadKirinn B.Jun 26, 2025

@knurd42 I'm very interested in seeing an upgraded #PNG format! Since the official PNG spec seemed stagnant, I was jotting down ideas on an upgraded PNG myself ( https://mooncore.eu/bunny/txt/pngx-eval.htm ), but I guess if the big guys like @ProgramMax are on it, I can wait and see what they come up with. :D

Although if they go with zstd for the new compression, I'll be sad.

Evaluation of PNGX ideas

Evaluation of easy improvements for the PNG image format

Show threadRichard W. Woodley ELBOWS UP πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦πŸŒΉπŸš΄β€β™‚οΈπŸ“· πŸ—ΊοΈJun 26, 2025

@knurd42

I've been using png for a few years now to save photo edits losslessly for working on in different editing programs.

Show threadDavid W. JonesJun 26, 2025
@knurd42
Now how long will it take for the software libraries to catch up?
Show threadMarc van Wijk Jun 28, 2025
@knurd42 So basically a lot of things that JpegXL has already tackled?