Consider deprecating old models API

**Description**
Currently utils lacks proper compression support.

**Proposed solution**
Add configurable compression with sensible defaults.

**Priority**: Low/Medium

Start by reading the issue discussion and the repository's utils entry points to determine whether the work concerns compression support or deprecating the old models API. Trace the existing model and utility flows, then define the configurable compression behavior and sensible defaults before identifying the tests or commands that should demonstrate completion.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.