2022, the year of the Tiger, according to the Chinese zodiac sign, and the Year of Glass, according to the UN, has said its goodbyes.
What is certain, the tech world is not going to stop. And Telegram, the popular messaging app, is not going to miss 2022. But to welcome 2023, it comes prepared with a bunch of new features that should make it even more appealing to both new and existing users.
According to its blog post, the messaging app has introduced media with spoiler effects, new ways to save space on your device, new drawing tools, suggested profile pictures, and more.
First of, the spoiler effect feature, allows users of the app to hide media behind an animated effect.
Previously, Telegram only supports spoiler formatting to hide any text in messages.
But with the update, users can also "cover photos and videos with a shimmering layer that blurs the image."
Recipients of the media should tap on the media to remove the blur effect.
To use this feature, users can select the 'Hide with Spoiler' option in the attachment menu.
Next up, is the zero storage space ability. With the update, "Telegram can take up next to no space on your device."
Users can finally set up separate auto-remove settings to cache media from Private Chats, Groups, and Channels. This is possible with some exceptions for certain chats.
What this means, media and documents stored on users' phones can be removed, to only be re-downloaded whenever the user wishes.
The update also introduces a pie chart to help users visualize what's taking up space. Telegram also introduces dedicated tabs for Media, Files and Music to let users clear the largest items in just a few taps.
Before this, users could only set a maximum cache size or auto-remove unused items after a period of time.
After that, Telegram is updating its drawing and text tools.
Before this, Telegram already boasts a media editor. With the update, the tools have been fully redesigned so they can "dynamically change width based on drawing speed and automatically smooth your lines."
Telegram also introduces a new blurring tool "to redact sensitive data (or photobombers) – and 5 high-precision ways to choose colors, including the Eyedropper tool."
Next, is an additional customization feature, which allows users to create Profile Pictures for their Contacts
"When editing your contacts, you can choose a picture for them – only you will see it on their profile," said Telegram.
"If you have a good profile picture for your contact, you can suggest it to them. It will take them just two taps to add it to their profile."
And speaking of Profile Pictures, users can also set a public picture for everyone else.
"This update also lets you achieve ultimate profile picture privacy: you can set visibility to 'Nobody' and add some users or groups as exceptions," explained Telegram.
And for the aesthetic part of the app, Telegram introduces new progress animations for users on Android, more premium animated emojis, and even more interactive emojis.
Adding custom animated emoji to text on images is also available for all users, even when they don't have a Telegram Premium subscription.
Lastly, Telegram also makes its Topics feature available in all groups, regardless of size.
Speaking of groups, this Telegram version also allows administrators of groups with 100+ members to hide the member list.
This feature is meant to help protect members from unwanted personal messages, saying that "only its admins will know they were there."