Should you move to Telegram Messenger App
We use WhatsApp messenger for its simplicity, popularity and habit. Is Telegram Messenger App the right alternative. It is not just installing the app but you have to convince the person at the other end to install and use it too.
About Telegram Messenger App
Telegram is the standard top of the line messenger app with all the necessary features. Telegram is adding 10 lakh new users per day around the world. This has the tech world taking notice. Will Telegram Messenger pose a serious challenge to WhatsApp. Before we get to that lets see how they perform in a face off. if you are sending a high size video or picture file, it automatically gets compressed by Telegram. For eg a raw file is converted to a small size JPEG.
How does Telegram stack up with WhatsApp
Telegram takes care of the pesky problem with WhatsApp. There is no file size limit for sharing. Sending large size video file is not possible with WhatsApp. Such video files are send best using Telegram app. Large size files are automatically compressed, for example a RAW image file is converted to small size JPEG.
WhatsApp is designed for quick forwards and replies. This causes a media overload on our smartphone storage. Rampant forwards are also social menace sometimes ending in a law and order problem. Telegram Messenger App works a bit differently. Each media file gets a long press menu where the file can be either replied to or forwarded or downloaded. Till any of the action is chosen, the media or file remains on Telegram Servers.
WhatsApp group limit – One of the most problematic feature of WhatsApp is group size of 256. For Telegram app it is 75k which is more than adequate. This combined with the ‘no file size’ limit it is a sweet deal.
Multi-device access – WhatsApp allows just one device to be paired with an account. Second access is provided by WhatsApp Web. In case of Telegram it is as many devices as you like. Messages are synced across all devices.
Secret Chat on Telegram – While both WhatsApp and Telegram offer encryption, Telegram app goes a step ahead with secret chat. You cannot take screenshot nor forward a message out of secret chat.
What Telegram Messenger does not have
WhatsApp has gone social – WhatsApp status has converted a messenger app to a social network. Status is the best way to “inform” your contacts. Friends, family, relatives, customers, distributors and almost anyone can be reached with status. You can post pictures, videos and links. Only people who have you saved as contacts can see status.
WhatsApp for Business – After becoming the most popular messenger app, Facebook gave the business users a point to cheer, WhatsApp for Business. Tools like Catalog display, customized messages and other features make it the perfect app to connect with customers.
WhatsApp have an exclusive permission with the Indian Government for UPI payments integration.
WhatsApp is heading towards being a unified messenger. Access to Facebook contacts and Phone Contacts gives WhatsApp a wide coverage. So whatever Telegram will come up with, WhatsApp will remain a few steps ahead.
And the winner is …
There is no winner as such because active users wise, WhatsApp is way ahead of any competition. If you are looking for a messenger app to host large groups with heavy file sharing, Telegram is the right choice. Security on Telegram app has a slight edge. Apart from that, there is no reason for you to switch away from WhatsApp. But what about the 15 lakh new subscribers added everyday. Due to some clever coding, new subscribers are just deleting the app but their account remains active. This is showing up as active users on the smartphones of other contacts making these number go up.