The Covid-19 pandemic has 'forced' messaging applications to innovate. Moreover, the pandemic has prompted the need for video calls. Recently, the Russian messaging application Telegram released a video call feature. This is good news for more than 400 million Telegram users in the world.
Quoted from the Telegram Blog, 2020 is marked by the need to communicate face-to-face. For that, Telegram provides it in an app version on Android and iOS. All video calls are protected with end to end encryption.
"Our application for Android and iOS has a reproducible version, so that anyone can verify encryption and confirm that their application uses the exact same open source code that we publish with each update." wrote Telegram as quoted on Sunday (16/8 / 2020).
This Russian app has a unique way to verify video calls made. There are four emojis on the screen that appear for the call maker and recipient. If they both get the same emoji the call is encrypted.
Telegram's video calls will have many features and improvements in the future. Telegram also said it would launch a group video call in the coming months.
"But for this mid-year milestone, you can now enjoy alone time with those closest to you, whether they are in another room or on another continent." wrote Telegram.
Telegram's latest move is clearly far behind WhatsApp. WhatsApp's video call feature was even enhanced by the owner. The trick is to combine WhatsApp with Messenger Rooms which allows WhatsApp users to video call 50 participants in one call.
Messenger Rooms is an online meeting feature from Facebook where users can make video calls privately by sharing a link. People who don't have a Facebook account can join the video call.
This digital conversation room can accommodate 50 participants in one call. Collaboration with WhatsApp has been seen in WhatsApp beta version 2.2019.6 for iOS and WhatsApp version 2.20.139 for the Android version, as quoted from WABetaInfo, Tuesday (12/5/2020).