The users’ anger over WhatsApp new privacy policy has helped Telegram crossing 500 million monthly active users mark. The Telegram founder Pavel Durov has confirmed that 25 million users have installed Telegram in the last 72 hours. You can check the announcement in his private telegram channel – @Durov.
After this update, we can say that it’s not only the Signal App which is getting the benefits of the chaos over the new privacy policy of the instant messaging giant WhatsApp.
According to the demographic information shared by Durov, “These new users came from across the globe – 38% from Asia, 27% from Europe, 21% from Latin America and 8% from MENA,” he added in his post.”
Launched in August 2013, Telegram has always given a healthy competition to popular apps like WhatsApp, Hike, etc. It has a lot of interesting features which you don’t get in WhatsApp. Telegram is open-source and used by different profession of users for several purposes.
Will Telegram change after crossing 500 million users mark?
As per the post by founder, Telegram has new plans for monetisation. They are planning to provide some premium features for businesses and power users. They can also bring ads to the app, but for only large groups and channels. The existing features and private chats will remain free with no ads.
“It will allow us to keep innovating and keep growing for decades to come. We will be able to launch countless new features and welcome billions of new users.” While doing that, we will remain independent and stay true to our values, redefining how a tech company should operate,” said Durov in a previous post on December 23, 2020.
Though the company was planning for monetisation after reaching 500 million users mark, they might never be expected that this will happen so soon. As I also believe, there’s no bad in monetisation a platform, but the app should always assure that it should not affect their privacy, security and lastly user experience.
