In another big update offered a few days ago, Telegram accused Apple of taking too long to review new versions of its software. At the time the company’s CEO Pavel Durov said, “We’ve got some Halloween surprises for you, but it seems some people don’t want us to celebrate,” and Telegram today finally rolled out the previously mentioned surprises: a voice-to-text feature for video messages, multiple usernames, group themes, and more.
Durov said Apple took “more than a week” to review the latest update to Telegram, without telling “the reason for the current delay. Apple claims they usually review apps within 24 hours, “but, as a rule of thumb, it takes at least 7-10 days for any meaningful product update to reach the App Store. The statement comes at a time when Apple is facing criticism for adding gambling ads to the App Store and tracking users without their consent.
One of the most exciting features added to Telegram is the transcription of video messages, an advanced feature that allows users to convert any voice message to text, and it now brings the same functionality to video.
Telegram has also added a topic feature to groups, and with hundreds of thousands of users able to become part of groups, the application now enables the concept of topics, creating separate spaces for specific chat topics. This feature functions as a personal chat within a group and supports its shared media and notification settings.
This feature is designed specifically for large groups, adding new ways to customize their chats and facilitate discussions. Later this year, Telegram is also expected to launch a different set of tools tailored for smaller groups.
In addition, users can assign multiple usernames to their accounts and public chat rooms, and Telegram explains that while it works like a basic username, such usernames “can be less than five characters” and “once obtained, users have full control over their collectible usernames.
Telegram also added a redesigned night mode for iOS users, new emoji packs, as well as new interactive emoji packs and an improved emoji response feature.
