WhatsApp is testing original quality media sharing on Android
WhatsApp is working on a more native feature that will let users send photos and videos in their original quality. Users will be able to decide the quality from the drawing editor. This feature will only be available to users who subscribe to WhatsApp Plus.
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Feature: | Original quality media sharing |
| Status: | Under development |
| Availability info: | This feature is currently in development and not yet available for beta testing. |
| Previous news: | WhatsApp is testing a contextual chat preview for Android! |
WhatsApp introduced HD quality for media sharing
In the post about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.7.17 update, we announced a feature to manage media upload quality. The feature introduced two options in the drawing editor: Standard quality and HD quality. Standard quality compresses photos and videos by reducing their file sizes. HD quality reduces compression significantly since it keeps more detail in the image or video. WhatsApp remembers the last choice users selected in the drawing editor, so they do not have to change it every time they share a new photo or video.
WhatsApp is testing original quality media sharing
Today, WhatsApp is working on a third quality option that goes beyond HD quality. When users select the option to manage photo and video quality, they will be able to send it in original quality without any compression. We discovered this with the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.44.12 update, which is available on the Google Play Store. With this update, WhatsApp is testing a feature that will let users send original quality media. WhatsApp plans to make this option available only to WhatsApp Plus subscribers.
What the three quality options mean
With the standard quality option, WhatsApp compresses photos and videos. This allows users to quickly share media without using too much data. With the HD quality option, WhatsApp reduces compression significantly. Since HD quality media can be up to 6 times larger, it takes more time to send but it preserves more detail. However, HD quality still applies some compression since it does not share the original file. With the original quality option, WhatsApp will let users send photos and videos without any compression. This means that the recipient will get the photo or video exactly as the sender saved it on their device. Note that WhatsApp will impose certain limits on file size and resolution, though these limits are far beyond what a normal photo or video would ever exceed.
Why HD quality is not the same as original quality
Some users may assume that HD quality and original quality are the same thing. They are not. HD quality is the best option currently available to all users. However, it still compresses the file before sending it. The compression is much lighter than the standard quality. With the original quality option, users will be able to send photos and videos without compressing them. Users who like preserving the details of their photos and videos will notice the difference.
How WhatsApp Plus presents the original quality feature
When users subscribe to WhatsApp Plus, WhatsApp will present the list of features they can use. WhatsApp will also show the feature to send original quality media in the onboarding screen. This will make new subscribers aware of the feature as soon as they set up their plan. Users will be able to choose the original quality option from the drawing editor when they want to share a new photo or video.
How non-subscribers can still send original quality media
Users without the premium plan can send photos and videos without any compression by sharing them as documents. When users send a photo or video as a document, WhatsApp does not apply any compression. This means that users can share photos and videos as documents without subscribing to WhatsApp Plus. However, it is slower than sending the media in the drawing editor. With the original quality option, users will be able to achieve the same result faster.
WhatsApp is developing original quality media sharing for a future Android update
The original quality option is currently under development on Android. Since this feature is in development, it is not available to the public. WhatsApp will add this option to the premium plan in a future update. At the moment, WhatsApp has not announced when the original quality option will be available.
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