Telegram to Introduce Stories Feature in July
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced today that the messaging app is adding Stories in early July. Durov says users have been asking for the feature for years, noting that more than half of all feature requests that Telegram receives are related to Stories. The company was initially against adding Stories because they “are already everywhere,” but wanted to listen to its users, Durov says.
of Telegram’s Stories Feature
After years of user demand, Telegram is set to launch its own take on Stories feature in early July. With more than half of all feature requests being related to Stories, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov acknowledged the growing popularity and decided to introduce the feature. Initially reluctant due to the ubiquity of Stories across various platforms, Telegram took a user-centric approach and ultimately embraced the idea.
This latest addition to the messaging app will allow users to have full control over who can view their stories. Whether it’s visible to everyone, only contacts, a select few, or a list of close friends, users can determine the audience for each of their stories. The stories will appear in an expandable section at the top of the chat list, making them easily accessible.
Telegram’s Stories will offer various customization options for users. Captions and links can be added to stories, and it will be possible to tag other individuals. Notably, the feature allows simultaneous use of front and rear cameras, enabling users to create engaging content reminiscent of the popular BeReal style.
Furthermore, Telegram provides flexibility in story duration. Users can choose to have their stories expire in six, 12, 24, or 48 hours. Alternatively, stories can be permanently displayed on their profile page, similar to Instagram’s Story highlights. This addition is seen as a way to make Telegram profiles more informative and vibrant.
Encouraging and Boosting Exposure
The introduction of Stories on Telegram offers users a new way to engage with each other. By saving stories to their profile pages, users can explore more content from close contacts and discover additional information about users they connect with in groups or channel comments. Moreover, channels will benefit from increased exposure and subscribers. Telegram plans to launch the ability to repost messages from channels to stories, making content go viral more easily.
Early July Launch and Telegram’s Vision
After internal testing, even the skeptics within the Telegram team started appreciating the Stories feature. The company now considers it an essential part of the platform. As the feature enters the final testing phase, Telegram expects Stories to become available to all users in early July. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov believes that this addition will herald a new era for the messenger and help Telegram become a more social platform.
