I'm trying to load a json file using angular (v1.2.6):

$http.get('myfile.json').success(function(data) { ... }

This works fine, except when I create a (static) compressed version of the file on the server, and try to load 'myfile.json.gz' instead (to reduce the loading time).

The request headers seem correct (Chrome 31.0 on Mac) (as stated here and here):

Accept: application/json, text/plain, */*

Accept-Encoding: gzip,deflate,sdch

while the response headers contain:

Connection: close

Accept-Ranges: bytes

Content-Length: 702468

Content-Type: application/x-gzip

Content-Encoding: gzip

However, the content is not automatically decompressed by the client browser, as I understand it should be. data.length is ~700Kb instead of the original uncompressed ~3Mb.

Although this one post suggests it needs to be done manually, I understand decompression should be automatic and transparent.

My question is, should it be decompressed automatically? and why isn't it the case here?