The popular chat application Telegram has been updated with new features such as topics in groups, collectible usernames, and voice-to-text for video messages. Earlier, the firm introduced infinite reactions, emoji statuses, and other new features as well. Let’s explore the newly added features to the messaging service that this version brings in more detail below.
Topics in Groups
Telegram groups can now have topics and separate spaces. Topics are individual group chats with their own media and notification settings. Members can chat about anything from anime to zoology using polls, pinned messages, and bots.
This feature is designed for large groups to customize their chats and encourage discussion. Telegram also wants to release a set of group tools for small groups by the end of this year.
Collectible Usernames
Telegram usernames make it easy to contact and find public groups and channels. Each account and public chat can now have numerous collected usernames. TON, a fast and scalable blockchain network, secures collectible username ownership. A new portal allows Telegram domains to be bought and sold securely.
- Collectible usernames appear in global search and have their own links and usernames. t.me. and t.me./username
- Collectible usernames, unlike basic ones, can be shorter than 5 characters, allowing for distinctive names like @news or @game.
- Users can trade or keep their collectible username after they get it.
Voice-to-Text for Video Messages
Since Telegram Premium launched, members can convert any voice message to text for times when reading is easier. Video messages now provide fast text transcripts for Premium users.
New Emoji Packs
Telegram artists have created 12 new emoji packs, while thousands of users upload bespoke ones. Premium users can use these emoji in messages, captions, and Halloween statuses.
Redesigned Night Mode for iOS
For iOS users, dark themes have been modified, bringing colours into balance and improving the blurring effects as you navigate through chats and the chat list.
Resizing Text on Android
When the text size is made bigger on Android, all conversation text is now made bigger, including reply headers, link previews, and more.
Minor Design Improvements
Swiping left to reply now has an animation. A call menu appears when you tap a user’s phone number in their profile. New flashing placeholders will appear when Telegram loads group or channel messages.
New Interactive Emoji and Reactions
The latest update adds four interactive emoji (😴👨💻🤓👀) that play full-screen effects in 1-on-1 talks and can be used as reactions for studying, sleeping, or being suspicious. All users can enjoy Halloween with three additional reactions (👻🎃😭 ) in any chat.
Availability
The above-mentioned features are now available in the latest Telegram update, which has already started rolling out to users globally and which also updates the latest version of the app to Telegram for Android v9.1.0.