Part 6/10:
This lack of support created confusion and frustration among users: downloading a WebP image would often mean it wouldn't open in their existing tools, or they'd have to manually convert the images to more familiar formats like JPEG or PNG. The situation was exacerbated by the fact that browsers handled WebP seamlessly, leading to a disconnect between web usage and desktop/application support.
The negative perception was amplified by social media and meme culture. A notable example was a tweet criticizing the format's creator, where WebP's potential was overshadowed by the community's frustration over its initial limited support. Many believed that the fault lay with the supporting software developers, not the format itself.