The good news for Google Photos users is that it looks like Google has started to roll out a new feature for the app in the form of “Express backup”. Prior to this, users could choose between Original Quality or High Quality backup, but with the Express option, the focus here would be on the speed of the backup which unfortunately comes at the cost of the image quality where the resolution will be reduced.
The idea is that with a smaller resolution, the file size should also be smaller which in turn should help to backup faster, helping users in regions with slow/unstable internet backup their photos. The feature was previously rolled out to users in India, but now it seems that Google has decided to expand its availability.
The Express option will shrink photos down to 3MP, while videos will be reduced to 480p. For the most part this is still very much viewable, especially on social media and mobile devices. If you think that this is good enough, keep an eye out for the option in the future.