Telegram adds Voice Chat Features for Groups and more in its 12th update

Telegram is one of the largest instant messenger apps. It has rolled out a major update comprising of multiple new features and improvements for overall user experience. These include Voice Chat for Telegram Groups, SD Card storage and new UI animation for Android version of the app, new media editor capabilities along with fast loading & better looking animated stickers. It will also launch a new feature suggestion platform to help identify potential new features and locate bugs, through user inputs and feedback.

As Telegram approaches 500 million active users (globally), its founder, Pavel Durov has unveiled the strategy to drive sustained growth of the app and generate revenue from next year onwards. It will also add new features for business teams or power users. Some of these features will require more resources and will be paid for by these premium users. Regular users will be able to keep enjoying Telegram – for free, forever. Telegram will introduce its own Ad Platform for public one-to-many channels that is user-friendly and respects privacy. However, private 1-to-1 chats or group chats will remain ad-free.

New Additions and improvement

Voice Chat

One can now convert any Telegram group to a voice chat room with this new feature. Hence, you can even use it as virtual office space for teams or casual lounges for various communities. With the Voice Chat Overlay feature, users can freely move around the app, browse conversations and send messages, while remaining connected on any voice chat. Android users also get the full Voice Chat experience with a system-wide floating widget. It shows your mic controls and who you're currently talking to; even when Telegram is in the background. Users of Telegram Desktop and the native macOS app can choose a push-to-talk key for Voice Chats, to control their mic even when Telegram is not focused.

SD Card Storage

Android users can now move their app data from internal storage to an external SD card. This will enable users with less storage on their phones to save more media and files and maximize the user experience of the app.

New Animations, fast loading stickers, more animated emojis

Telegram’s Android version has been updated with new animations for message button, chat folders, etc. Animated stickers on Telegram are efficient and deliver smooth 180 frame animations with infinite resolution in less than 50 KB. With the new update, these stickers will load even faster than before. Telegram has also expanded the library of animated emoji on the app.

Media editing improvements

Android users can edit a photo which they've already sent to add effects, drawings or stickers with the media editor. iOS users can tap the pen button to quickly edit and send back a photo they have received.

Announce messages on iOS

Users can enable Siri to read incoming messages aloud in their headphones

Feature suggestion platform

This feature helps identify potential new features and locate bugs within the app. For this, Telegram is launching a public Bug and Suggestion Platform. It will be rolling out the ability to suggest new features and report bugs gradually to ensure that each submission gets due attention.