WhatsApp’s controversial privacy policy update has proved handy to alternative platforms with Telegram among the forefront.
Telegram says it has added over 100 million users in January alone.
A few weeks ago, the app’s Russian founder, Parel Durov, said they added 25 million users in just 72 hours.
Besides Telegram just reached a new milestone of half a billion active users, which was announced few weeks ago.
In a move to make life easier for incoming users, Telegram will now allow users to export their Chat history from other messaging apps, including WhatsApp, and move it to Telegram.
The new feature supports the export of both individual and group chats from WhatsApp – including videos and documents.
How to Export WhatsApp Chats to Telegram
a) On Android
1. Open WhatsApp
2. Open any Chat – Group or individual chat
3. Tap the three-dot menu on the top right and select More
4. Tap Export Chat and select Telegram from the Share menu.
b) On iPhone
1. Open WhatsApp and go to the Contact Info or Group Info page
2. Tap Export Chat, then choose Telegram in the Share menu.
Note: Exported chats will act a little bit different inside Telegram. Telegram will import all chats into the current day, BUT, Telegram will also include the original timestamps(when each message was sent or received).
Other New Features
Telegram’s well known for its variety of features, and even with the latest update, they couldn’t afford to complete the update with other small but nifty additions.
Improved Voice Chats
Telegram now shows you which of your groups have active voice chats atop your call history page. Plus, you can adjust the volume for individual participants.
If you have admin privileges, your voice settings will apply to all group members.
Improved Audio Player
The built-in audio player now supports a fade effect and fast forward and rewind( by tapping and holding the next or previous buttons).
You can also see all tracks from a single artist across your chats.
Android Animations
As always, there are usually some new Android-specific animations. This time you’ll find them when downloading files, playing music, or loading chats after logging in.
Report Fake Channels
Telegram is giving users new ways of reporting spam. Users can now report Fake Channels and groups that impersonate organizations or people.
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