Google Messages gets a new trick to speed-up photo sharing

Google Messages is getting a new feature that will help you send photos faster by lowering image resolution. The feature, spotted by 9to5Google, likely applies to RCS messaging since images sent via SMS and MMS are already of much lower resolution. On the other hand, users can send and receive high-quality photos through RCS, the modern protocol that allows for iMessage-like features such as read receipts, location sharing, encryption, and more.

The “Send Photos Faster” option is only available for some users right now. Although, we expect Google to roll it out more widely very soon. You can find the feature between “Bubbles” and “Hear outgoing and incoming message sounds in Google Messages Settings.” Its description reads, “Resolution is reduced for faster sending.”

Google has presumably added “Send Photos Faster” for users with slow internet connections or spotty connectivity. It takes longer to send high-resolution images because RCS uploads photos to a cloud. The new option will reduce upload time and enable faster photo sharing.