WhatsApp has announced that it is now allowing users to send videos in high-definition (HD) quality. This new feature comes after the introduction of HD image sharing last month. The company made the announcement through a video posted on its Facebook page, stating that the feature is currently being rolled out.
Similar to the HD image feature, users will have the option to choose whether a video should be shared in higher quality before sending it. After selecting a video clip from the camera roll, users can tap on the “HD button” at the top to choose between “standard quality” or “HD quality”. The filesize of the video will be displayed next to the quality options, allowing users to check the space it will take when sent in either standard or HD quality.
When a video is shared in a conversation or group chat, it will be marked with an icon at the bottom left next to the timestamp, indicating that it is an “HD” video. However, it should be noted that the feature still applies some compression on the video files. In testing conducted by LifestyleTech, a video shot in 1920 x 1080 resolution was compressed down to 1280 x 720 when shared via WhatsApp. Similarly, for videos shot in ultra-high definition (3840 x 2160), the in-app compression brought it down to 1280 x 720, which is currently the quality limit.
For users who want to share media without any compression, it is recommended to send them as documents instead. However, this option is limited to files with a maximum size of 2GB.
Credit: The Star : Tech Feed
