Low Quality Image Mode Available For Messages In iOS 10

According to our beta testing the upcoming iOS 10 will feature a Low-Quality Image Mode option for Messages. It allows users to send images at a lower resolution while exchanging iMessages. This add-on is aimed at those iPhone owners that are struggling with storage space as well as having problems with small Internet data plans. It’s a common discontent among Apple fans the fact that Apple hasn’t upgraded the iPhone’s 16 GB starting storage capacity. The demand wasn’t even fulfilled during the release of the iPhone SE, which also starts from 16 GB. Everyone’s eyes are now aimed at the iPhone 7 release, scheduled for September. I’m sure that Apple risks a huge meltdown if they won’t provide at least 32 GB as base capacity for the new flagships.

So, the Low-Quality Image Mode might fit those iPhone owners that struggle with the 16GB storage space as well as those users that don’t have a proper data plan contract with their carrier. However, in an era in which 4k videos and ultra high definition images are common, it’s hard to believe that the new Messages image quality limitation setting will become too popular.

How To Enable/Disable Low-Quality Image Mode
This feature is, of course, disabled by default. To activate it you have to browse for Settings -> Messages and scroll all the way down to the Low-Quality Image Mode tab. Toggle the knob to switch it ON. I’ve done a few test and sent some photos via iMessages. I dispatched the same photo with both the quality reduction featured ON and OFF. I haven’t found any visual difference at my end. However, the receivers version is adjusted depending on the Image quality setting. Check the images published nearby to notice the difference.

Low-Quality Image Mode Limitations
The big problem that’s currently arising with this setting is that you can only tweak it ON and OFF for all Messages. It would be much more useful if it receives and individual personalization option, for each conversation thread. Something similar to the Send Read Receipts feature than can be enabled or disabled for each Contact that you exchange iMessages with. Or even better and option to select Low-Quality mode when you attach the picture to an iMessage. Anyway the way Low-Quality Image Mode works can be still easily tweaked until the official iOS 10 release. We will keep you updated.