Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google is introducing an “HD” and “HD+” icon to the Messages app.
- Users will be able to choose whether to send an image uncompressed or with lower quality.
Google Messages could soon get a feature that will be very familiar to WhatsApp users. It will allow texters to pick the resolution of the photos they send.
An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
If you have used WhatsApp, you may have seen the HD icon with the little gear in the lower right-hand corner. This setting allows the user to select Standard or HD quality when sending a photo. Picking Standard lowers the quality of the image, allowing it to be sent faster and use less data. While HD quality minimizes compression, but takes longer to send and uses more data.
It appears Google likes this idea, as it is working on implementing a similar feature in the Messages app. In the latest Messages beta (version messages.android_20241029_00_RC00.phone_samsung_openbeta_dynamic), we have discovered a new “HD” and “HD+” icons in the new Photo Picker.
In the Photo Picker, you’ll have the option to choose between HD and HD+. The HD option will optimize the resolution of the photo, sacrificing quality for speed. On the other hand, HD+ will leave the picture untouched and in its original resolution, which Google warns will use more data. Whatever option you choose will show that icon, along with a checkmark on the bottom right.
As they say, imitation is the best form of flattery. However, it’s not exactly the same as WhatsApp doesn’t use an HD+ icon.
