You can now choose media download quality in WhatsApp chats
What's the story
WhatsApp has released a new update for its Android app, bringing the version number to 2.25.18.11.
The latest firmware, available through the Google Play Beta Program, introduces a feature that lets users select the quality of downloaded photos and videos.
The facility is currently being rolled out to select beta testers and will be made available to more users in the coming weeks.
Feature details
Users can select standard or HD quality for downloaded media
The new feature gives users the option to choose between standard and HD quality for automatically downloaded media.
Standard quality compresses media to reduce file size, making it faster to download and more efficient in terms of data and storage usage, while HD preserves more visual detail but consumes higher data/storage.
The system would ensure that based on user preferences, right version of the media is downloaded automatically while still offering access to the high-quality version on demand if needed.
Mechanism
A look at the dual upload process
WhatsApp has introduced a dual upload process while sending high-quality images or videos.
When users choose to send media in HD, their devices automatically generate both a standard and HD version of the same file.
This is necessary because WhatsApp can't compress or alter file quality on the server due to end-to-end encryption.
So, both versions are uploaded by the sender and recipient selects which version should be downloaded automatically by app, based on their auto-download settings.
User control
Improved control over media downloads in chats
The new feature gives users control over media downloads based on preferences, especially when they don't intend to open received images and videos.
This is useful in group chats where large amounts of images/videos are shared regularly.
Now, the users can choose to download only standard quality pictures/videos automatically and selectively load HD content when desired.