Why does my Galaxy phones severely compress received MMS / text pictures down to 30KB?

This started late last year and is doing it on all phones that are not iPhones. Anytime, I RECEIVE a MMS picture, it is compressed severely (30-40 KB). I can send out 2-3 Meg plus pictures and they will not compress on the recipent's device. Also, if I send myself a picture, it will come back compressed.

I've tried using the stock messaging app and GOSMS. I have toggled wifi on and off. I'm in a full 4G coverage. The person sending the pictures to me are all different.

If I really want the picture or even a picture of a document, I have to ask the person to resend via email. Sure, I can get it that way, but that becomes an extra step as most use text to quickly send one picture.

If feels like the Verizon network is compressing photo's even if they are not large.

Help!!

Accepted answers

Tidbits

It'll always happen. When you send a text even on the iPhone it is compressed. It may not look compressed when you send it but on the other end it's compressed. When you use iMessenger (even when you send it to yourself) it will not compress because it uses the data connection instead of IMS which has a MB cap limit. Disable iMessenger and see what happens.

Doesn't matter what carrier you are on. If the photo is over the IMS protocol limit it will compress the photos.

All comments

veryfrustrated0118

Maybe because the device stores these MMS pictures in the device's memory and that space is limited. A LOT of people don't clear out there messaging to free up space so this is a way to manage and extend the life of this space.

Sending in an email take no more steps than sending in a text message. When I send a picture via text it is certainly not for printing and I have never had a problem seeing or having other telling me that my pictures were not viewable.

chi1ddd

Thanks for the reply.

I don't think it's a function of just the phone. As it is doing it on multiple Galaxy phones.

Sending in email doesn't take any longer. However, some folks don't have my email stored in the contact. So, that takes time to exchange the email for just casual exchanges of photos. Also, the great majority of people just text over pictures so I'm just trying to avoid the extra time. No, I don't want the pics for printing. However, I would like to be able to view them clearly.

veryfrustrated0118

They wouldn't be compressed to unviewable. What is the source camera? Maybe it was compressed outgoing and not incoming.

chi1ddd

They are viewable but a 2Meg picture compressed to 30KB is very pixelated and blurry. It can't be posted to social media/twitter or anything like that.

No, they aren't being compressed at the source since it happens 100% of the time no matter who sends the picture to me. In fact, I can send a picture to myself and it comes back compressed.

Again the iPhones on my account can send and receive pictures via MMS without any compression. My son gets 3-5 Meg pictures and even video without any problems. But, I like Android phones and don't want to switch.

Verizon_Support

We want to make sure you receive your pictures without them being sent via email chi1ddd! What application are you using for your MMS? Has it always been this way? Does this happen to every person?
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chi1ddd

I am currently using a Galaxy S4. I have attempted to use the default

messaging app as well as GoSMS. I believe it has been this way for the last

two years. I have had different versions of the phone so it's not phone

specific(GS3, and 2 GS4's).

On Apr 16, 2015 11:11 AM, "Verizon Wireless Customer Support" <

GrafinLupus

This amount of compression, so that the photos are blurry and, in some cases, so low resolution that they appear pixelated, is not normal nor should it be acceptable.

I switched from a Kyocera Dura Force Pro, which displayed the photos clear and sharp to totally awful on my Samsung S10+. I have tried the original massage app that came with the phone, the Verizon message app, and one other. The same photos in a group chat come to my husband's Moto Z Force crisp and clear and mine are awful. If I send a sharp, clear photo to myself it comes back to me low res and blurry.

I have tried every setting on my phone.

Verizon & Samsung; What are you doing about this? Stop passing the blame and provide a solution!