Why Apple's iMessage Still Struggles with AVIF Image Files

Summary

This article highlights a lesser-known issue with Apple's iMessage app related to the AVIF image format. Despite being supported in Safari and Photos on iOS 16, AVIF images sent via iMessage do not render properly. Instead of displaying normally, they appear as tiny, unexpandable previews. This bug affects both iOS and macOS users.

The author notes that while Apple implemented AVIF support in Safari over two years ago, the inconsistency in handling this format across different apps suggests a lack of attention to this issue. The article also mentions that some users are unaware of the AVIF format, which is becoming increasingly popular due to its high efficiency and quality.

The author expresses frustration with the bug and hopes for a prompt fix from Apple, as it creates a confusing user experience where sent images are not viewable in iMessage.