Telegram passed the 700 million monthly active users mark on June 19. On this occasion, the messaging service unveils its premium service: Telegram Premium. This subscription will provide interested parties with the most resource-intensive features while maintaining free access to the application.
A shovelful of features
At the beginning of the month, Pavel Durov, one of the co-founders of the messenger, envisaged the release of Telegram Premium in the month. It is now done. With this paid service, messaging users will have access to new features.
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First, all the limits of the functions of the application will be doubled. Premium subscribers will be able to follow up to 1000 chat channels, create up to 20 chat folders each with up to 200 chats, add a fourth account on the app, pin 10 chats to the master list, save up to to 10 favorite stickers and send 4GB files.
The limits of Telegram functionality are enhanced with Telegram Premium. Picture: Telegram.
In addition to these tools, there are a large number of additional services such as:
- Faster downloading of media and files;
- The ability to convert voice messages to text;
- Access to animated stickers and new emoji to react to messages;
- Management of exchange lists;
- The right to use profile videos;
- A premium badge on the profile and exclusive icons for the application;
- The end of advertisements in public channels.
In addition to integrating an avalanche of features for Telegram Premium subscribers, messaging adds new services available to everyone. Among them, membership requests for public groups, a verification badge for public figures, an API to design better performing bots, an improved preview of messages as well as automatic saving of media in the gallery on Android, improved external sharing on iOS and the ability to create animated profile pictures on macOS.
The price of the service should be 4.99 dollars per month, or about 4.75 euros.
Users at the heart of Telegram monetization
If many messengers and most social networks opt for a premium subscription, like Snapchat recently with Snapchat+, it is to diversify their revenue channels. This search for new ways to generate money is partly caused by Apple’s new policy, App Tracking Transparency. This feature, which allows users to choose whether they want to share their data with an application for advertising purposes, has greatly reduced the flow of money from sponsored content.
For its part, Telegram has always highlighted the need to maintain access to its free messaging in exchange for some advertising in public channels. In his communicatedthe company explains that Telegram Premium “ marks the beginning of the viable monetization of Telegram. We believe that the development of Telegram should be driven primarily by its users, not by advertisers “.