Sharing an image in a messaging application almost always results in a loss of quality. If you don’t share this image as a file, you risk losing pixels to the recipient. To address this issue, WhatsApp will soon release a feature that will allow users to choose whether to compress images in the app or send them in full quality.
According to WABetaInfo, “WhatsApp has just submitted a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.21.14.16.”
As shown above, users have three options – “Auto,” “Best quality,” or “Data saver.” This feature allows users to send images in the highest quality or in data save mode. The latter guarantees compression to reduce the time it takes to store data at cellular speeds or send it over slow networks. Better quality, however, ensures that the transmitted image retains all data.
This is a small but welcome addition to your chat. If the current user does not want the image to be compressed, it must be submitted as a document. The highest quality setting allows the user to keep this step. In this mode, all photos are sent uncompressed, even if they are sent from the WhatsApp gallery menu.
It’s not clear yet if users will be able to switch between these image-based settings. WhatsApp also does not detail what the Automatic (Recommended) setting does. WABetaInfo, however, reports that this feature is under development and will be in beta in the future. “WhatsApp will introduce the same settings that we have already seen to manage the video quality,” WABetaInfo reports.
- Auto (recommended): WhatsApp detects what is the best compression algorithm for specific images..
- Best quality: WhatsApp will send the image using the the best quality available!
- Data saver: compression is enabled when Data saver is enabled in your Android settings.
This could also be good news for those who frequently share photos and videos with their loved ones without using an iOS or Android messaging app (Apple messages keep the original image quality in most cases). Meanwhile, a multi-device support function is also coming to WhatsApp soon.
