Telegram is still one of the most popular messengers in the world alongside WhatsApp and Signal. It is simple to use, you can have access to a single account via multiple smartphones or even PC devices at the same time, and you do not even have to back your data up periodically. Telegram automatically saves your chat via the cloud and allows you to access it instantaneously when you sign into your account from anywhere in the world, as long as you can remember the phone number you signed up with Telegram. WhatsApp only allows you to hold your account on a single device at a time. Your WhatsApp back up data is strictly stored inside your smartphone, Google Drive, or Apple Cloud; even WhatsApp cannot access your data, apparently.
There is a common denominator when it comes to the popular messengers you see across the globe too. For all the major platforms, you need to share your phone number to get an account. Telegram sees that as one point of failure in terms of your privacy and cyber security, so they look to do away with phone number.
Telegram’s more recent updates has done away with just that. Recently Telegram has started auctioning and selling off rare usernames for their new platform based on the TON Blockchain. TON also features their own cryptocurrency, the Toncoins. Buying the unique username allows users to sign up to an anonymous account without ever giving away your phone number. You can even do that yourself on Fragment. You get your verification code on Fragment as well, of course.
You are not getting something as unique as a codename or the regular usernames though. You are getting a bunch of random numbers that resemble a phone number. That unique number will be tied to your Fragment account so any verification that is needed for your Telegram sign ins will go to Fragment. This also eliminates the need for you to sign up and use Telegram via your own phone number to make it even more secure, and more anonymous in some sense.
The new update also brings a whole host of improvements largely aimed to make Telegram more secure and private. Users should already be familiar with self-destruct messages, where users can delete their messages without leaving so much as a trace in their chats. They can set a delete timer for their chats or messages too on the platform. Telegram is now expanding the feature from 2013 and give you more control over your digital footprint.
You can now automatically delete your messages in all your new chats with any user, regardless of who starts the chat. In some ways, it allows you to keep your inbox tidy by keeping it up to date. In private groups, users who have the authorization can also set timers to their messages to be deleted after some time.
Telegram also allows you to sort your messages and groups using via Topics. Instead of looking for names or specific chat groups, you can sort your messages on Telegrams like you see forums. Now it is more powerful than before because you can sort out messages from groups with more than 100 members. They also added a new two column mode for the feature for an even more streamlined navigation than before allowing you to quickly go from one topic to another.
They even updated the anti-spam filter to be even more aggressive than before allowing your chats and groups to be a lot cleaner than before. If you do not feel comfortable giving away your phone number to other people to add you on Telegram, they have included a temporary QR code generator for you to show to others, when you need it. The people adding you will not even get to see your phone number. If you want to know how Telegram uses your smartphone’s storage, there is an even more detailed view of it now on Telegram itself.
On top of these security updates, Telegram also added a few new features that has to do with emojis. Users of Telegram Premium gets access to new interactive emoji with full screen effects and everything. All Telegram users get access to all the security features that Telegram has introduced so far though, so if you have not spent a single dime on Telegram, you still do not have to. Telegram is available for free on Google’s Play Store and Apple App Store. For more information on Telegram’s update, you can visit their website.