Telegram Rolls Out Major Update: Direct Messages to Channels, HD Photo Sharing, and More
Telegram users are buzzing with excitement following a significant new update, as announced by founder PAVEL DUROV, Telegram CEO noted on his official Telegram channel. The latest version introduces a suite of highly anticipated features, designed to enhance communication, media sharing, and group management across the platform.
Durov highlighted several “epic” additions, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize how users interact with channels and large groups. The key features of this update include:
- Direct Messages in Channels: A groundbreaking addition that allows users to send private messages directly to channel owners and administrators. This new functionality provides a streamlined way for subscribers to engage with content creators without revealing personal contact details. Channel owners can enable this feature and even set a fee for direct messages, offering a new monetization avenue for creators.
- HD Photo Sharing: Telegram has significantly improved its photo sharing capabilities with the introduction of a “High Definition” option. This allows users to send photos with four times the pixel detail compared to standard quality, while keeping file sizes under 0.5 MB. This ensures sharper, more vibrant images without consuming excessive data.
- Topic Tabs in Group Chats: Group chats, especially large ones, will now benefit from a new tabbed layout for topics. This enhancement promises faster access and easier navigation between different conversations within a group, allowing users to switch between a side or top bar for optimal organization.
- Voice Message Trimming: Users can now refine their voice messages before sending them. The update introduces the ability to trim the beginning and end of voice recordings, ensuring that only the desired content is shared. This feature appears when swiping up to lock the recording and allows for additional segments to be recorded.
- Expanded Poll Options: Polls on Telegram are now more versatile, supporting up to 12 answer options. This gives communities greater flexibility in gathering feedback and making decisions. Users can also save polls to their “Saved Messages” for future reference or easy sharing to other chats.
Pavel Durov expressed satisfaction with the initial feedback received from large channel and group owners, stating, “And this is just the beginning — direct messages in channels lay the foundation for much more in the weeks ahead.” This statement suggests that Telegram plans to further build upon these new features, promising an even more dynamic and interactive platform in the near future.
The update, version 11.12.0 or later, is currently rolling out across both iOS and Android devices, ensuring a wide adoption of these new and improved functionalities for Telegram’s global user base.
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