Telegram Update Brings Video Transcription, Topics in Groups, and New Dark Mode

[MacRumors]

Telegram Messenger this week released a new update for iPhone and iPad that adds video transcription, separate topics in large groups, and other new features to the popular chat platform.

The new voice-to-text transcription tool can be activated using a new "→A" button in the bottom-right corner of a video, and is designed to let users read video messages from friends when they don't have time to watch the video.

Like the existing voice message transcription, video messaging transcription is a feature exclusive to subscribers of Telegram Premium, which costs $4.99 a month and includes other perks like faster downloads, no ads, and a larger 4GB maximum file upload limit.

Meanwhile, for all users, Topics in Groups is a new feature that allows groups with over 200 members to create separate areas for more specific chats. Users can opt to get notifications from Topics and shared media settings that are independent of the wider group. Later this year, Telegram plans to introduce a different set of tools tailored to small groups.

Also new in this update are Collectible Usernames, a digital asset whose ownership is secured by the TON blockchain network. In addition to one basic username, Telegram users can now assign multiple Collectible Usernames, which work just like basic usernames except that they can be less than five characters long.

The Collectable Usernames are bought and sold through a new platform called the Fragment network which offers a "simple and secure way to acquire and exchange valuable Telegram domains."

Elsewhere, Telegram's Night Mode has been redesigned for the iOS app, making colors more balanced with better blurring effects as users scroll in chats and the chat list, and Telegram Premium users gain access to 12 new emoji packs that can be used in messages and captions or set as statuses.

Users will notice that this v9.1.0 update has a distinctly Halloween theme, but it was held up in Apple's App Store review process, according to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

In a dedicated post, Durov says "Apple claims they review apps within 24 hours, but, in our experience, it takes at least 7-10 days for any meaningful product update to reach the App Store." Durov has previously criticized Apple for its "obscure" App Store review process and delays in approving Telegram updates.

Further details about other minor changes to Telegram's interface can be found on the developers' blog. Telegram version 9.1.0 is available now on the App Store for ‌‌iPhone‌‌ and ‌‌iPad‌‌.

Article Link: Telegram Update Brings Video Transcription, Topics in Groups, and New Dark Mode

 

[orbital~debris]

Users will notice that this v9.1.0 update has a distinctly Halloween theme, but it was held up in Apple's App Store review process, according to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

In a dedicated post, Durov says "Apple claims they review apps within 24 hours, but, in our experience, it takes at least 7-10 days for any meaningful product update to reach the App Store." Durov has previously criticized Apple for its "obscure" App Store review process and delays in approving Telegram updates.

The criticism feels a little shoehorned.

The answer? Create & include seasonal content further in advance, and then use server-side notifications to let users know about the features closer to the time of the event.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

If I want to set the group of people who can send me voice messages on Telegram to "contacts only", I have to purchase the premium version. So Telegram even wants extra money for the option of not getting annoyed by strangers.

 

[ThomasJL]

When will a Teiegram update bring a feature that stops unknown people from adding me to spam groups?

 

[alexjholland]

I stick to just two messaging apps...

1. Apple Messages for family - we're all on iOS, it's granular, and I can prioritise their messages in any Focus modes.
2. Telegram for my close friends and people in tech.

If someone thinks WhatsApp's a 'good app' then we don't have anything to discuss. It's a lowest common denominator app that's designed to work on the most outdated, underpowered handsets on earth. Nothing about it is optimised for user experience.

Apparently Signal's particularly robust in terms of encryption, but I don't have a use case for that right now.

 

[Bustycat]

When will a Teiegram update bring a feature that stops unknown people from adding me to spam groups?

You can limit it in the settings.

 

[snnrman]

If I want to set the group of people who can send me voice messages on Telegram to "contacts only", I have to purchase the premium version. So Telegram even wants extra money for the option of not getting annoyed by strangers.

I guess you just discovered how business works.

 

[orbital~debris]

I stick to just two messaging apps...

1. Apple Messages for family - we're all on iOS, it's granular, and I can prioritise their messages in any Focus modes.
2. Telegram for my close friends and people in tech.

If someone thinks WhatsApp's a 'good app' then we don't have anything to discuss. It's a lowest common denominator app that's designed to work on the most outdated, underpowered handsets on earth. Nothing about it is optimised for user experience.

Apparently Signal's particularly robust in terms of encryption, but I don't have a use case for that right now.

Not only is WhatsApp a horrible user experience, it has the shady Meta pulling its strings.

Signal is a very nice option to have for cross-platform messaging, particularly on iOS.

One thing I'd love to see Signal improve is their macOS app – it's obviously not the type of app longtime Mac users are accustomed to, with various standard Mac functionality and integration missing.

 

[JackNL]

When will a Teiegram update bring a feature that stops unknown people from adding me to spam groups?

It's there already: Setting -> Privacy & Security

 

[JackNL]

I stick to just two messaging apps...

1. Apple Messages for family - we're all on iOS, it's granular, and I can prioritise their messages in any Focus modes.
2. Telegram for my close friends and people in tech.

If someone thinks WhatsApp's a 'good app' then we don't have anything to discuss. It's a lowest common denominator app that's designed to work on the most outdated, underpowered handsets on earth. Nothing about it is optimised for user experience.

Apparently Signal's particularly robust in terms of encryption, but I don't have a use case for that right now.

I used Apple Messages for family in the past as well since it's e2e encrypted. However I realized that the messages are stored in iCloud which is available upon request for the government.

I have nothing to hide but the fact that my messages are saved for perhaps multiple years doesn't feel comfortable.

 

[JackNL]

One thing I'd love to see Signal improve is their macOS app – it's obviously not the type of app longtime Mac users are accustomed to, with various standard Mac functionality and integration missing.

Fulle agree on that, on iOS it runs fine but on the Mac it's feels really outdated and sluggish.
It is the best option in terms of privacy however.

 

[MLVC]

I stick to just two messaging apps...

1. Apple Messages for family - we're all on iOS, it's granular, and I can prioritise their messages in any Focus modes.
2. Telegram for my close friends and people in tech.

If someone thinks WhatsApp's a 'good app' then we don't have anything to discuss. It's a lowest common denominator app that's designed to work on the most outdated, underpowered handsets on earth. Nothing about it is optimised for user experience.

Apparently Signal's particularly robust in terms of encryption, but I don't have a use case for that right now.

WhatsApp is not a good app but living in Europe it's not really possible to not use it, as there's always some friend/family member without an iPhone and group chats are by default on WhatsApp (as are customer service departments from a lot of companies). So I limit my use to iMessage and WhatsApp.

 

[mrrobotoplus]

I stick to just two messaging apps...

1. Apple Messages for family - we're all on iOS, it's granular, and I can prioritise their messages in any Focus modes.
2. Telegram for my close friends and people in tech.

If someone thinks WhatsApp's a 'good app' then we don't have anything to discuss. It's a lowest common denominator app that's designed to work on the most outdated, underpowered handsets on earth. Nothing about it is optimised for user experience.

Apparently Signal's particularly robust in terms of encryption, but I don't have a use case for that right now.

A girl on Tinder blocked me because I told her I only use telegram. She said I have "something to hide". Lol

 

[cyanite]

However I realized that the messages are stored in iCloud which is available upon request for the government.

The messages container in iCloud is end to end encrypted in itself, but a copy of a key to it is included in the iCloud backup if you use that. If you don’t use iCloud backup, messages will still be in iCloud, bot accessible by Apple.

But yeah, most people use iCloud backup.

 

[R2FX]

Cry babe Durov again… if he thinks that he’ll be uploading Telegram iOS app to non Apple Store and updating it with stuff at his whim, he’s in a hell of a surprise.
The moment Apple Store version will not be there or won’t have same functionality will be the moment I’ll delete Telegram.
Get some project managers with time sheets and quell your arrogance Pavel!

 

[Alexander_im]

As fantastic as it is, it's sad to see these nice additions to Telegram are adding up at extra charge. Though it's perfectly understandable since work on these functions probably required a bigger state of devs.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

The messages container in iCloud is end to end encrypted in itself, but a copy of a key to it is included in the iCloud backup if you use that. If you don’t use iCloud backup, messages will still be in iCloud, bot accessible by Apple.

But yeah, most people use iCloud backup.

There’s also a setting to not save any messages older than 30 days. One has to choose to save them forever. With that setting on, messages older than 30 days won’t even be in iCloud.

 

[BrownyQ]

I've always heard good things about Telegram, but I've never found a need to use it. I stick to iMessage for almost everyone I know, SMS for the few Android friends/coworkers who don't like iPhone.

And with iMessage on my iPad and iMac, I see no reason to use anything else as a secondary app.

 

[cocky jeremy]

The criticism feels a little shoehorned.

The answer? Create & include seasonal content further in advance, and then use server-side notifications to let users know about the features closer to the time of the event.

It's Apple's fault. Can you believe them wanting to actually look at and verify everything in an app before pushing it out? How terrible of them.

 

[Bustycat]

I've always heard good things about Telegram, but I've never found a need to use it. I stick to iMessage for almost everyone I know, SMS for the few Android friends/coworkers who don't like iPhone.

And with iMessage on my iPad and iMac, I see no reason to use anything else as a secondary app.

It highly depends on whom you connect with. I have zero relatives and friends using iMessage and Telegram is my primary to connect with close friends and some Wikimedia or OpenStreetMap groups. Besides Telegram is currently the fourth most popular IM service in the world, after WhatsApp, WeChat, and Facebook Messenger.

 

[5232152]

Telegram is amazing. Paying for features is fine but what you are paying for is not what I want/need. I wished they did a Discord approach so my family chats could all benefit from my buying it.

 

[ghanwani]

They don’t have the user base.

 

[alexandr]

If I want to set the group of people who can send me voice messages on Telegram to "contacts only", I have to purchase the premium version. So Telegram even wants extra money for the option of not getting annoyed by strangers.

Here's a free life hack — don't listen to them!

 

[alexandr]

I've always heard good things about Telegram, but I've never found a need to use it. I stick to iMessage for almost everyone I know, SMS for the few Android friends/coworkers who don't like iPhone.

And with iMessage on my iPad and iMac, I see no reason to use anything else as a secondary app.

That's what I thought too, until someone sent me an video message. Not a video, but a video message...

 

[alexandr]

They don’t have the user base.

They kinda do..