WhatsApp on iOS devices will now let users share media in its original, uncompressed quality in the latest update. According to the most recent official changelog posted on WABetaInfo, this is one of the new features making its way to WhatsApp. This change seems to only be arriving on the iOS version of the app for now. As many developers choose to update iOS versions of their apps first, it is almost certain this will roll out to Android users soon too.
Photos and videos in original quality
WhatsApp users have often bemoaned the inability to send media in its original quality over WhatsApp. This is finally changing, at least for the iOS crowd. Before now, WhatsApp would compress a photo or video before sending it to the recipient. This meant that often, a lot of detail was lost to save on server space. High-resolution charts and images with lots of text were completely illegible on WhatsApp.
A few months back WhatsApp made strides to change this shortcoming of its platform. Users had already been finding exploits to avoid media compression for years now, this only simplified the process. Now, when sending an image or a video, users can send it in HD. This new update has taken it a step further and introduced truly lossless media sharing.
Users who update to WhatsApp version 23.24.73 from Apple’s App Store will now have access to the new features including this one. iOS users can now tap the “+” icon in a chat, then tap on “Document”, and then select “Choose Photo or Video” to select a media file. What’s interesting is that this method is very similar to an exploit people have used for years. Back when the HD option wasn’t available, users would send a media file as a document. This would trick WhatsApp into sending it uncompressed and in its original quality.
Changes to voice chats and other features
The newest update introduces a few other changes as well. WhatsApp has now added an option to initiate a voice chat without ringing everyone in a group chat. This has been a long time coming and is going to reduce a lot of unwanted disturbances. The changelog also mentions new bubbles in chat. These bubbles have been designed to let users more easily see missed, ongoing, or completed calls.
Lastly, WhatsApp has introduced avatar reactions for status updates. Now, when replying to someone’s WhatsApp status, you can choose from six different avatar reactions. These add a custom touch to your reactions, as everyone has a unique avatar. These updates range from quality-of-life upgrades to genuinely useful and are probably going to come to Android in the coming months. If you are on iOS and don’t see these features, don’t fret. The changelog states some accounts may only get these updates in a few weeks.
2023-12-05 15:06:36