Telegram may be working on ways to monetise its platform. (Photo: Reuters)Telegram is bringing monetisation to its platform by adding a premium plan for users that will offer a new range of emojis and sticks to users. According to the Telegram Beta Channel that posts updates on new features, a new set of stickers and reaction emoji were spotted on the 8.7.2 beta for iOS that users can only be unlocked “by subscribing to Telegram Premium.”
Currently, Telegram Premium does not exist. A report by The Verge highlights that users with Telegram TestFlight builds can send exploding-heart and flying ghost reactions. However, it appears that even the recipients of the premium stickers and emojis will need Telegram Premium to see them. So even if you send a ‘Telegram Free user’ a premium emoji they’ll get a prompt to subscribe to Telegram Premium and view the emoji.
While there is no information on the pricing of Telegram premium plans and their availability but the service has been spotted on the iOS beta app for the time being. There are no hints as to when and if the feature will be available on Android.
Earlier, in 2020, Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram said in late 2020 that Telegram won’t sell out like WhatsApp or disappear like so many other messaging apps. “Telegram will begin to generate revenue, starting next year.” He even teased a plan for advertising in the platform’s large channels and said the platform “will add some new features for business teams or power users that would come with a price.”
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Meanwhile, Telegram recently rolled out crypto payment capability, as per the company’s Telegram Open Network (TON) Foundation. Users can now download Telegram’s official wallet bot, which can allow them to buy cryptocurrencies, trade them, and send them to other wallets.
In other news, Telegram has rolled out a series of new features to improve user experience and increase privacy including an auto-delete chat option, improved picture-in-picture settings, and an enhanced Bot configuration.
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