It is what it is - Lemmy.ca

Alright, I have to finally ask. What the heck is a .webp file? And why are half the images on lemmy that type of file?

developers.google.com/speed/webp/

It’s a new image format that competes with JPEG and PNG. The image on this post is not a webp, it is a jpeg. The reason you see it as a webp file is because many web browsers convert jpeg’s and png’s to webm automatically.

An image format for the Web  |  WebP  |  Google for Developers

Learn about this image format that creates smaller images for the web and get links for converter downloads and support.

Google for Developers
Interesting. Thank you. So my main concern now would then be how do I get my sms to recognize it so I can continue trading memes?
If your SMS app doesn’t support webp, there is nothing you can do about it. You could switch SMS apps or switch browsers or change your browser settings.
Sounds good, thanks!
it's a more optimized image file that lots of websites use, serving requires less bandwidth