Telegram ups the ante as it rolls out new and exciting features

• Features include Payments, Scheduling and Mini Profile for Voice Chats, new web apps and more

Wale Ameen
Online Editor

Cloud based, cross-platform chat app, Telegram has announced the roll out of new features on the app which rivals what the duo of Whatsapp and Clubhouse presently offers. The app which is presently one of the top 10 most downloaded chat apps in the world appears set to give the front runners in the chat space a run for their money  with its eyes set on offering users more possibilities.

The app in its version 2.0 roll out boasts of exciting new features which includes Payments, scheduling and Mini Profiles for Voice Chats and a new app for browsers.

Payments

The new Telegram Payment feature allows users to securely pay for goods and services right in the app, including desktop apps and merchants can natively accept credit card payments. It currently boasts of up to 8 integrated third-party payment providers such as Stripe, YooMoney, LiqPayalong with a host of other gateways thus effectively giving users the ability to make send payments to more than 200 countries.

With the payment feature, buyers can also add a tip when making purchases to show some extra love to any seller or delivery driver.

With the payment feature, users can send invoices to any chat, including groups and channels, create invoices that can be forwarded and used by multiple buyers to order things and accept payments from users on mobile or desktop apps.

Scheduled Voice Chats

With the apps new scheduled voice chat feature, voice chat can be held in groups with admins setting a reminder for a group Voice Chat at a particular time and members of the group will be notified of such with a colorful countdown at the top of the chat.

Web Version
The app also comes with a new web version which features an interesting list of innovative features. The two web app versions supports animated stickers, dark mode and chat folders.

A particularly interesting feature of the Telegram web versions is that they are standalone, unlike Whatsapp which needs you to have your phone near by to constantly communicate, the Telegram web app are independent and once you are logged in, you don not need to have your phone nearby or be connected to the internet.

The new update also comes with a pinch to zoom feature capacity for photos that enables you to pinch to zoom in and out of photos right within the chats and an improved media player.

With the new features, never before seen on the two dominant chat apps, Telegram is apparently upping the ante as it seeks to drive retention and offer users more possibilities in terms of what is possible via a chat app.