The cross-platform instant messaging app, Telegram will launch the new feature group video calls for its users in May with support for web-based video conferencing added later.
Telegram CEO Mr. Pavel Durov announced the news in a message on his official Telegram channel, writing “we will be adding a video dimension to our voice chats in May, making Telegram a powerful platform for group video calls.
The development comes on the heels of a slew of announcements made earlier this week. The instant messaging app has got features like Payments 2.0, scheduled voice chats, and mini-profiles for voice chats, among others.
Mr. Durov said that the app will also support group calls, screen sharing, encryption, noise cancellation, desktop and tablet support, “everything you can expect from a modern video conferencing tool, but with Telegram-level UI, speed and encryption.”
The video call feature was supposed to be added to the company’s messaging service sometime in 2020.
Telegram often mocks rivals for being slow to add new features, but it has been a laggard on video calls, adding the ability to make one-on-one video calls only last August, according to reports.
However, it also emphasized the importance of protection for group video calling, which may be the reason for the delay.
Telegram has expanded dramatically since the pandemic, capitalizing on the shift to working from home and the general desire to remain linked safely. The company announced that it had surpassed 400 million monthly active users in April 2020, up from 200 million in 2018.
The company also mentioned that the updated app would not be available on the Google Play store right away, but iOS users can do so via the App Store.
