Better Photo Messaging Discussion

[cmg-ops]

I would like to be able to send Photos with the Light Phone 3 at a higher quality. Right now when I send or receive photos they are pretty blurry. So I have been thinking if there is a way to improve this. I don't know if it is a app or within the phone. I am open to making an app I have 3 or 4 ready for the Light Phone when the software update comes out. I just don't know the issue, and it seems overly complicated to have an app for something that should be within the texting app. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestion for where to start.

[CryptoRodeo]

The blurriness is most likely MMS compression. Carriers shrink photos pretty aggressively when you send them, and the recipient's carrier can shrink them again on their end. The limit is often 1MB or less depending on the carriers involved, so it's not something a setting on the phone can fix.

But I'm not a mobile dev, so someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Some solutions:

1. Use Signal or WhatsApp.

2. Another idea I had is an app that uploads the photo to a private, self-hosted server or some service (similar to how the LP3 can send images to your email) and hands you back a link you can text to send the full image.

   • PrivateBin is a nice example for this since the image gets encrypted and only lives on the server for a short while (you can set it to destroy the image once the link is opened so it can't be reused).
   • This adds an extra step (sending a link to an image instead of the image) but at least the image will be higher quality.

[cmg-ops]

I wonder why it was way better on my old phone. Is that the difference between MMS and RCS. If so I wonder how that can be added.

1. So an app needs to be made for Signal or WhatsApp sounds like.

2. I would be okay with a link because the messaging app is already sending it to my email. I will think on this. It would be a nice feature within the messaging app. I wonder how the logic would work if it were an app.

Thanks for the replies and ideas.

[CryptoRodeo]

Is that the difference between MMS and RCS.

Simply put, yeah. RCS is internet based so you get stuff like read receipts and better quality photos.

If so I wonder how that can be added.

Probably not possible on the LP3 or feasible for a cellular service at this time. The LP3 would need google play services installed or a carrier would have to implement and host their own RCS servers. Neither are likely to happen any time soon (or ever?).

[cmg-ops]

Simply put, yeah. RCS is internet based so you get stuff like read receipts and better quality photos.

Thanks for the clarification.

Probably not possible on the LP3 or feasible for a cellular service at this time. The LP3 would need google play services installed or a carrier would have to implement and host their own RCS servers. Neither are likely to happen any time soon (or ever?).

This is the info I needed. I will see if there are any ways around it or anything that can be done...

Another idea I had is an app that uploads the photo to a private, self-hosted server or some service (similar to how the LP3 can send images to your email) and hands you back a link you can text to send the full image.

Im going to see where this takes me.

[jbriones95]

1. So an app needs to be made for Signal or WhatsApp sounds like.

Light is developing a Signal client, so this is coming soon. I recommend you try to switch your communications to Signal since that will make it easier over time.

[cmg-ops]

Light is developing a Signal client, so this is coming soon. I recommend you try to switch your communications to Signal since that will make it easier over time.

Good to know. But currently I am full time on Light Phone 3. So switching communication is a no go until its working on the phone.