[SOLVED] HEIC format not supported by mobile app

There is a new issue with the IOS native app: Since IOS11 defaults to the new and efficient HEIC format, all pictures sent from IDevices just displays the staple icon. Even the preview of pix is not possible in MM. :confused:

Is there an update on the way which fixes the issue?

Hi @netmax we have a ticket to convert HEIC images to png, you can track it here https://mattermost.atlassian.net/browse/RN-355

Hi @elias,

what’s the schedule for this? That issue forces us actually back to IMessage/WhatsApp as there is no way to see pics sent via MM … you still can’t even save them in the app to view in Photos.

And that’s not way we did switch to MM.

The slow progress in the app side (which is >90% of our use) is really an issue.

Hey @netmax this is currently in the backlog but I was meaning to ask you is this for the classic app?

Hi @elias

No, this was meant for the native app. The only reason for using Classic was that the native did not run on the IPad.

But the last update was great: It runs now on the IPad and pics can be viewed and saved. Unfortunately not for us as all pics in HEIC still can do nothing, I can’t even open or save them to be viewed.

So the HEIC thing is quite urgent for IOS users.

Update: you can now store images in JPG format : Settings -> Photos -> Formats -> Most compatible.

Another option is to convert them into jpg format with free service.

@gyptkeps Where do you see this setting? I’ve walked two times completely through the config of my MM server (4.4.2) and the IOS apps - I dod not find any setting to convert the pictures to JPG for Mattermost.

@elias We are meanwhile at IOS 11.2 and more than two months after the release, and we still can’t use MM since then due to the pictures issue (we’re sending many of them). All other Apps do handle HEIC meanwhile or are converting the pix to JPG on the fly (so I guess there are API’s for this in IOS).

I’m honestly upset that it takes that long to just convert pictures properly in the MM app and millions of IOS users are locked out of MM use for pictures.

And no - for my users it’s not an option to completely switch the whole storage of their iPhones back to JPG. They have fallen back to WhatsApp meanwhile and that’s exactly where I was about to get them away from :frowning:

Hi @netmax we’ve added support to convert heic images to jpg before uploading in the 1.5 release and sadly the previous heic images that were uploaded to the server are yet to have a proper preview in the app, the latter is cause heic images cannot be displayed with UiImages used by react native, but hopefully that will also be addressed soon.

i hope that the ability to convert newly heic images before uploading (this occurs automatically) is enough for now.

Cheers

Hi @elias,

the conversion as desribed would be great and enough for now - but did I miss something? The app version is 1.4.1 and not 1.5 - and no updates available.

Is it released? Or is there a TestFlight channel I can join …?

Sure, you can signup for testflight beta builds here http://mattermost-fastlane.herokuapp.com

Hi @elias

Thanks, I’ve signed up and immediately got an invitation.
But it’s version 1.4.0 in Tesflight, older than the release version ?!? :flushed:

Where can I find the 1.5 beta with HEIC conversion support?

Testflight should be 1.5 build 70

Nope …
image

Oh looks like in still pending review
image

Yap, looks like we need to wait for Apple :grimacing:

Why not choose JPEG as default on iPhone? You can do it on latest iOS 11 update.

It said we can set photos formatted as JPG default in iOS. However, I can’t find it. Finally I have to turn to help for some third party software, like this free HEIC to JPG converter.

How about the quality for converted images?

Hello, HEIC format is a new image format with the release of Apple’s iOS 11. It can only be opend and viewed by iOS 11 as well as macOS High Sierra. That’s the reason why you cannot open it on your Andriod phone. At present, there is still no mobile app for it. Maybe a heic converter for android can help u. Don’t worry. This Joyoshare HEIC Converter can convert HEIC images with keeping original quality. Only when u try it by yourself can u discover its amazing points. Hope u can enjoy your HEIC images on any devices.

It can convert iOS 11 photos with online heic converter tools that are free though they have a number limit like 50 pics

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