Encrypted messaging platform Telegram has pushed out an update that introduces a number of new location-based features, including the ability to Add People Nearby.
Users of the chat app can open Contacts -> Add People Nearby to quickly exchange contact info with Telegram users who are standing next to them and also have the same section of the app open.
The new People Nearby section also has a new Groups Nearby option, which shows location-based group chats open for anyone around to join. Users can also Create a Local Group to unite people nearby in a new chat group.
In a previous update, Telegram also added a way for users to control who can see their phone number. This update builds on the new privacy setting by enabling users to add people to their contacts, even if they don't know their number.
This can be done simply by tapping the new Add to Contacts button at the top of every chat thread.
Elsewhere, this update also includes an option to transfer ownership rights over groups and channels to another user, a new toggle to allow message previews for specific chats, support for Siri Shortcuts, and revamped app theme settings.
Telegram is a free download for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Top Rated Comments
Telegram is a far superior version of Whatsapp. I can't understand why people still continue to use Whatsapp knowing that Facebook is in the background with their data. Especially as it's free. the first hurdle is getting them to download telegram and you message them a few times but then a few weeks later the last seen is when you last messaged them and they're back to whatsapp!
If you want maximum privacy and security ⇒ Secret Chats and 2FA
If you want simplicity and cloud based chats ⇒ normal chats
The possibility to delete the chat history forever in any device in that chat, location based groups/chats, infinite file storage, send receive >1,5GB files of any kind, bots for almost everything, the best stickers for free, well it is perfect.
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I wish Telegram was more popular, and I've considered leaving Whatsapp (yeah I m from Europe) because I don't want my data to be on Facebooks hands. But it's almost impossible to change people's minds. Even if they were security breaches or the app stopped working for several hours, people don't want to change what already works.