Telegram gets auto-delete messages, new widgets and other features
Telegram has announced a couple of new features including auto-delete, home screen widgets, unlimited group members, and more. Telegram, which has witnessed a surge in users over the last few weeks, has added some of the much-needed features. The messaging app has also aped some of the features of WhatsApp so that users don’t miss out on anything.
Telegram has now become the most downloaded app on Google Play Store. Telegram has moved from the ninth position to the top spot on Google Play Store. It is the fourth most download app on Apple’s App Store. And if we look at the overall downloads, Telegram claims the top spot there as well.
So let us have a look at some of the features that Telegram has announced today:-
Auto-Delete Messages
The auto-delete message appears similar to WhatsApp’s disappearing messages feature. This feature would let users enable an auto-delete timer in all Telegram chats, which will automatically erase messages for all participants either 24 hours or 7 days after sending. The auto-delete feature will only apply to messages that are sent after the timer is set. To enable the timer on Android, tap > Clear History then choose a duration. On iOS, press and hold a message, tap Select > Clear Chat (top-left) Enable Auto-Delete.
Home screen widget
Telegram is rolling out an option for users to add a new Telegram widget to their home screen for easy access. The chat widget shows the preview of the recent chats and the Shortcut Widget shows only names and profile pictures.
Group links with limited duration
Telegram has rolled out the possibility of creating group invite links that come with a limited duration. “Any invite link can be converted into a scannable QR Code to put on everything from brochures to billboards. You can also see which users joined using each invite link to find out where new members came from or which format has been most effective for growth,” Telegram said in a blog.
Groups with unlimited members
Going forward there will be no restriction on the number of participants or members you add to a Telegram group. The messaging app now allows up to 200,000 members to exchange messages, media, and stickers in a group.
Improved reporting system
Telegram will now make it more convenient for users to report spam and fake people on the messaging platform. “Telegram processes millions of user reports each month to make sure the platform is not abused. To help make this more efficient, we will now always ask you to select specific messages when sending a report. Additionally, all reporting options allow you to add a comment to give more context like when reporting fake accounts,” the blog says.
