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Apple's failure to approve updated Telegram app gives Android users first crack at new feature

By Alan Friedman

Updated: Aug 17, 2020, 6:23 AM

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Apple's failure to approve updated Telegram app gives Android users first crack at new feature

Thanks to the outbreak of COVID-19 worldwide, the safest way for people to interact is via phone, video chat, and text. And if the platform offers end-to-end encryption, the video stream is protected from hackers, law enforcement, and other snoopers. According to TNW, messaging app Telegram has announced this weekend that it is testing end-to-end video chat capabilities for Android users. The feature is in alpha mode on the Android version of the app and those using iOS are out of luck for now.

Android users get first crack at the encrypted video chat feature even though Telegram submitted the updated version of the app to the Apple App Store first. Apple failed to approve the submission while Google greenlit the application made for the Play Store. Approval from Apple is expected in the near future.

Unlike rival WhatsApp, which can carry a group video with up to eight participants simultaneously, Telegram's video chat is strictly one-on-one for now although group chat will surface in the coming months. The video chat app can also verify the encryption through four emoji that are shown on the screen. Learn more about Telegram's end-to-end encryption process right here.

Globally, Telegram has over 400 million users worldwide making it-according to Telegram-one of the top ten messaging apps by installations. You can find the Android version at the Google Play Store and the iOS variant of the app in the App Store.

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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.