What you need to know
- Telegram has a brand new feature for iOS.
- It now supports "fast and secure" video calls.
- It also supports picture-in-picture mode.
Telegram has updated its app for iOS to include "fast and secure" video calls.
In an announcement Friday the Telegram team stated:
Today marks seven years of Telegram. In 2013, we began as a small app focused on secure messaging and have since grown into a platform with over 400M users. Telegram is now one of the top 10 most-downloaded apps and is used all over the world to stay in touch with family, collaborate with classmates and coordinate coworkers.
Telegram says that it has added "fast and secure" video calls to the platform, which users have apparently been clamoring for. The post notes how 2020 has highlighted the need for face-to-face communication, and that an alpha version of video calls is now live on iOS and Android.
To start a video call, users can simply select the option from a contact's profile page, as with most video services you can turn video on or off at any time. Telegram also says the feature supports picture-in-picture mode. One of Telegram's most lauded features is its encryption, video calls are no different:
All video calls are protected with end-to-end encryption. To confirm your connection, compare the four emoji shown on-screen for you and your chat partner – if they match, your call is 100% secured by time-tested encryption also used in Telegram's Secret Chats and Voice Calls. You can find more details on this page.
Telegram recently filed an antitrust complaint against Apple in the EU, claiming Apple should let users download apps outside of the App Store.
