Telegram, the popular encrypted messaging app, has launched a new feature called Stories to mark its 10th birthday. Stories are short-lived photos and videos that users can share with their contacts or the public. The feature was initially available only to Premium users, but now it is open to everyone on the platform.
Unlike other social media platforms that offer Stories, such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and TikTok, Telegram gives users the ability to edit their Stories after posting them. This means that users can change the visibility, caption, text, stickers or any other element of their Stories without having to delete and repost them from scratch.
Telegram claims that this is the first time in the history of social media that users can update any element of their Story at any time. The company says that this feature gives users more control and flexibility over their content.
In addition to editing, Telegram's Stories also have other features that make them stand out. Users can choose from four privacy settings to decide who can see their Stories: everyone, contacts, close friends or selected contacts. Users can also hide Stories posted by any contact by moving them to the “Hidden” list in their Contacts section.
Users can also set the duration of their Stories, from six hours to 48 hours, or display them permanently on their profile page as highlights. Users can also add captions and links to their Stories, as well as tag other people in them. Moreover, users can use the dual camera mode to post photos and videos taken with the front and rear cameras simultaneously.
Telegram's Premium users also have an exclusive feature called Stealth Mode, which allows them to erase their views from any Stories they opened in the past five minutes, and hide what they view for the next 25 minutes.
Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov said that users had been asking for Stories for years, but the company was initially reluctant to add them because they “are already everywhere”. However, he said that the company wanted to listen to its users and offer them a unique and innovative version of Stories.
Telegram's Stories feature is part of the app's celebration of its 10th anniversary, which also includes a new video call interface, animated emojis and stickers, and a redesigned media editor. Telegram says that it has over 500 million active users worldwide and that it is constantly working on improving its app and adding new features.
