Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has announced that the company has finally caved in and will be introducing a Stories feature to its platform in early July. Stories are a popular feature that has been adopted by other messaging apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook. They allow users to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours.
Durov said that Telegram decided to add the feature after hearing from users who wanted it. “We know that many of you have been asking for Stories,” Durov wrote in a blog post. “We resisted for a long time, but we finally gave in.”
Telegram’s Stories will have a number of features that make them different from those on other platforms. For example, users will be able to define who can see each of their Stories with granular precision. They will also be able to hide Stories posted by any contact, and they will be able to add captions and tags to their Stories.
In addition, Telegram’s Stories will be placed in an expandable section at the top of the chat list. This makes them easily accessible without taking away valuable space.
Durov said that he believes that Stories will be a popular feature on Telegram. He said that they will allow users to share more of their lives with their friends and contacts.
“We think Stories will be a great way for people to share their lives with their friends and contacts,” Durov said. “We’re excited to see how people use them.”
Stories are expected to be released in early July. They will be available on all platforms that Telegram supports, including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Here are some of the key features of Telegram’s Stories:
- Privacy: Users will be able to define who can see each of their Stories with granular precision. They can choose to share their Stories with everyone, only their contacts, a few selected contacts, or a list of Close Friends.
- Compact UI: Stories will be placed in an expandable section at the top of the chat list, which makes them easily accessible without taking away valuable space.
- Flexibility: Users will be able to hide Stories posted by any contact, moving them to the ‘Hidden’ list in their Contacts section instead of the main screen.
- Captions: In addition to making use of dozens of powerful photo and video-editing tools, users will be able to provide captions for their Stories to add more context or links and tag other people.
- Dual Camera Support: Building on the success of Telegram’s Video Messages, users will be able to post photos and videos taken by the front and the rear cameras simultaneously.
- Optional Ephemerality: Users will be able to choose when a Story expires – in 6, 12, 24, or 48 hours – or permanently display stories on their profile page, with individual privacy settings for each.
- Profile Page Enhancement: The option to save Stories to a user’s profile page will enhance the informational and visual appeal of Telegram profiles. This feature allows users to delve into more content shared by their closest contacts and gain valuable insights about users they interact with in groups or channel comments.
- Increased Channel Exposure: Channels will experience increased exposure and attract more subscribers with the upcoming feature that enables reposting messages from channels to Stories. Achieving viral status on Telegram will become significantly more accessible with this feature.
How to Use Telegram’s Stories
To use Telegram’s Stories, simply open the app and tap on the “Stories” icon at the top of the chat list. You can then start creating your own Stories by tapping on the “+” button in the top-left corner of the screen.
Once you’ve taken a photo or video, you can edit it using Telegram’s built-in tools. You can also add captions, tags, and filters to your Stories.
When you’re finished creating your Story, tap on the “Send” button to share it with your contacts. You can also choose to share your Story with a specific group or channel.
Stories will expire after 24 hours, but you can always save them to your profile page if you want to keep them longer.
The feature is currently undergoing its final testing phase and is scheduled to be released in early July. We’ll keep you updated on its progress
