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It didn’t last long, and the trial period for new Telegram features is over. Last Friday (30), the messenger began releasing group video calls to up to a thousand people, video messages in high quality and larger size, screen sharing with sound for any type of conversation, video playback at varying speeds and another avalanche of news.
- Telegram will allow video playback at accelerated or reduced speed
- How to share Telegram groups and channels
- Former WhatsApp employees launch messaging app with a focus on privacy
Video calls to up to 1,000 people on Telegram
If Telegram group video calls had a small limit for you, this should no longer be an issue after this update. Up to 1,000 people can join the same call while watching other participants’ screen broadcasts.
The novelty puts Telegram in a competitive position for Google Meet and Zoom, as an alternative to host meetings or gatherings full of people. However, the messenger still has a way to go, as its solution only works on Android and iOS apps.
Video Playback Speeds
If you open a video within Telegram, you can follow the content at 0.5x, 1.5x, and 2x speeds — just like with audio messages. The option has been hidden in the three-dot menu, located in the upper right corner, when the media is played in full screen.
Now, not even video classes, tutorials and lectures recorded on video will be free from fast consumption. The chat is boring and you want to speed up? Just select the option at the top and increase the acceleration.
Higher quality video messages
They are almost like GIFs, but presented in a circle and for fast playback. Telegram video messages have evolved and are now recorded in better quality and can be expanded to see more detail.
The message player is also improved and now allows you to pause, fast forward and rewind. Another cool addition is the inclusion of sound in the video messages, so the format is perfect for capturing your emotion of the moment — listening to cool sound, for example, while wandering around somewhere cool and so on.
Screen Sharing with Sound
Finally, the possibility of showing the screen in a private call has arrived. Users on individual calls can open the live stream of the content that passes on the device.
The function can be useful for showing off some game you’ve discovered, passing on navigation directions in an app, or exchanging information on uplifting gossip.
More cool additions
- Messages can now self-destruct within a month — for when a week is short, 30 days is the ideal alternative;
- More accurate drawings: had the idea to edit a photo but want to do something more committed? Zooms the image during editing to make finer strokes;
- Live wallpapers are also part of the password lock screen;
- A new option in the Settings menu has been added to help you practice (and not forget) your Two-Step Verification password;
- The animations in sending messages on Telegram for Android have changed. You might find it more interesting, so take a look;
- The Telegram camera app for iOS has been reworked and now uses all device zoom levels;
- Animated emojis galore: The sticker catalog has been updated with more fun alternatives.
According to Telegram, the news is available for Android and iOS — and by now they should have reached most users. If the features haven’t appeared for you yet, look for pending updates in the Play Store and App Store.