What you need to know
- Telegram appears to be testing a new feature to import chats from WhatsApp.
- A new update also brings more privacy, and you can now delete chats and messages for all sides without a trace.
Update, January 28 (6:00 pm ET) Moving chat history from apps like WhatsApp, Line and KakaoTalk to Telegram is now available.
Telegram appears to be testing a new feature to import chats from WhatsApp, after it briefly appeared in an update yesterday.
Version 7.4 of the app, released Wednesday and then quickly pulled, brought the new import service as well as beefed-up privacy. From the release notes:
Move your message history from other apps such as WhatsApp, Line, and KakaoTalk to Telegram. Delete messages, groups you created, secret chats, and call history for all sides, without a trace. Adjust volume for individual participants of a voice chat. See active voice chats from your groups at the top of your Calls tab. Greet new users in one tap with a suggested sticker. Enjoy improved VoiceOver support. Report fake groups or channels impersonating famous people or organizations by opening their Profile > More > Report.
In a later update the import feature was removed, suggesting Telegram is currently working on the feature.
Telegram's last big update came in December and brought the introduction of voice chats to the platform.
Telegram, along with apps like Signal, have seen a surge in popularity following the news that Facebook would introduce new measures that meant WhatsApp users would have to share their data with Facebook if they wanted to keep using the service. From that report:
WhatsApp has updated its privacy policy, and the new terms requires users to share data with Facebook as well as its associated companies, including Facebook Payments, Onavo (a web analytics service and controversial VPN), and CrowdTangle (a social analytics tool).
The new version of Telegram is available to download now.
Update, January 28 (6:00 pm ET) — Moving chat history from apps like WhatsApp, Line and KakaoTalk to Telegram is now available.
In a statement to iMore, Telegram has announced that moving chat history from other messaging apps like WhatsApp, Line and KakaoTalk is now available on both iOS and Android. You can check out all of the information from Telegram in its blog post.
