In the digital world, we use instant messaging apps to communicate with our friends, relatives, colleagues, or just anybody. These apps include popular names like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Besides, there are many other apps that provide us with security as well as advanced features.
The first few names that we think of are Whatsapp and Telegram apps. If we talk of Indian social media, Whatsapp is far more popular than Telegram or any other messaging app. Telegram App is especially popular in many Asian countries, and also in western countries due to its special features.
Let’s try to know more about the Telegram app and its various features.
What is a Telegram app?
Telegram is a cloud-based instant messaging app. Anyone using this app can enjoy free and secure audio and video calls, text messages, audio messages, and simple chats. This app was launched in the year 2013 by its founder Pavel Durov.
By using the Telegram app, you can send messages, photos, videos, audio and gifs in single chat and group chat through the internet. It’s a dynamic app that helps you in staying connected around the clock. Moreover, this messaging app is a worthy alternative to WhatsApp.
In many ways, the features and usage of the telegram app are similar to WhatsApp. But Telegram also has a lot of advanced features. Most importantly, it is a cloud-based application that literally means all your Telegram data is stored on the Telegram server. It doesn’t affect your phone’s local storage. You can access this data anytime you like through the Internet. Therefore, the user isn’t supposed to take care of storage.
Telegram also provides end-to-end encryption to keep your data secure. This ensures that your entire data remains out of reach from any third party or organization.
Who developed the Telegram app?
Telegram app was developed by Pavel Durov, a Russian developer He also happens to be the founder of Russia’s largest social network VKontakte. He is popularly known as Mark Zuckerberg of Russia. The app was launched by Nikolai and Pavel Durov in the year 2013. And in the next few years, the Telegram app became quite popular in other countries besides Russia.
In 2016, its monthly active users were 100 million which increased to 200 million in 2018, and by 2020, the figure has already crossed the 400 million mark. It is quite obvious that the popularity of the app is continuously on the rise.
Features of Telegram
#1 It’s a Free App
Telegram is a free messaging app. According to Pavel Durov, the Telegram app was never developed to earn profit. His objective behind the formation of this incredible app was to give people the pleasure of fast, secure and private chat. This was why Telegram was developed in the first place.
Therefore, you can continue using this app without any worries. Because in all probability, this app will remain free even in the future.
#2 Cloud Storage
The major problem with other messaging apps is that they take up a lot of storage space on the smartphone. Therefore, users have no choice but to delete data again and again. However, there is no such problem with Telegram because all the data is saved on Telegram’s server itself. Data does not go to the user’s file manager. Hence, users are free to use local storage for themselves.
#3 Secret Chat Feature
This special feature of Telegram sets it apart from other messaging apps. So far, none of the messaging apps have come up with such a feature. By using the secret chat feature, you can interact with any Telegram user. This will be just like any other normal chat. However, you are neither allowed to forward this chat nor you can take a screenshot.
Apart from having the option of a secret chat message, you can also self-delete the message by applying Self-Destructive-Timer.
#4 Global Message Delete feature
Sometimes, in a hurry, we end up sending the wrong message. But on Telegram, you have the option to delete the message immediately. Moreover, it also allows you to delete other’s messages. So, you can also delete messages sent in a group or in a personal chat.
You cannot find such features in other messaging apps. On WhatsApp, you can delete your own messages in a limited time period within 60 minutes of sending the message. This feature is very useful and beneficial to control unwanted messages in the group.
#5 Change mobile number
If you ever need to change your Telegram number, you can do so. At the same time, you can also transfer your Telegram account to another number. And all your chats will also be shifted to your new number. Isn’t it amazing?
Moreover, all your data is also transferred to your new number. Since your entire data is located on the cloud storage, they also stay with you.
#6 Run Multiple Accounts
If you have created a personal as well as a business account on Telegram, you do not need two apps to run your accounts. In fact, you can handle multiple accounts from a single app. Telegram mobile app and desktop app provide this switch account facility through which you can simultaneously handle multiple Telegram accounts.
#7 Create a username
This is a very professional feature of the Telegram app that allows you to create your username. Therefore, Telegram users can use this feature to make them searchable on the app by choosing a unique Telegram username.
This feature is not available on other messaging apps. They can only chat with you if you have a mobile number. But, on Telegram, you can also be available through a username.
Suppose, your telegram number is +91 960 xxx 3xxx. Therefore, anyone who has this number can follow you on telegram. However, you can give the username associated with this particular number to those who do not have the number. A Telegram username looks something like this.
You can see it here. We have not given your telegram number. But, you can also join me by clicking on this link or by searching chanderkent.com on Telegram.
#8 Create Telegram Channel
You can compare this feature with the broadcast feature of WhatsApp. But, the Telegram channel is different from WhatsApp broadcast because it allows you to add unlimited subscribers.
You can give the channel’s link to the users on the side of your YouTube channel so that users can click and join your channel. You can also set the privacy setting of your channels from public to private.