Instant messaging apps are some of the most downloaded software on mobile devices, and Telegram is one of the most popular ones out there. The app was launched just over two years ago, making it one of the newest kids on the instant messaging block, but the company has grown by leaps and bounds in this short space of time, and while still not as ubiquitous as Skype or WhatsApp, Telegram has become one of the largest and most-used applications in its category by far. Now we know exactly how popular the app actually is, as earlier on Tuesday, Telegram officially announced that it has as many as 100 million monthly active users, who between them, exchange a whopping 15 billion messages daily. However, the company also has some more good news for its investors, as it claims to add 350,000 new users on a daily basis, which extrapolates to over 10 million a month.
It was just over a year ago in December 2014 that the company announced that it has crossed the milestone of 50 million monthly active users. Telegram reportedly gained a lot of new users in Brazil late last year when WhatsApp was temporarily banned in the country for failing to comply with court orders to release confidential info in a police investigation. The popularity of the app is understandable, seeing as it provides a high level of security with end-to-end encryption, and users can also optionally elect to turn on a self-destruct timer for messages sent through the platform, thereby making conversations even more secured from prying eyes. What’s more, the app is available on a whole host of platforms including Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Windows (x86), Desktop Linux and OS X. There’s also a web-based client which allows users to use Telegram without having to install anything at their end.
For those not yet familiar with Telegram, it uses open source software for its client-side code and offers its APIs to developers – something that Samsung makes use of for its new ‘Socializer’ messaging app. Telegram, of course, competes in the marketplace with a whole host of instant messaging apps, each with its own USP. Apps like Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, Line, Viber, WeChat and a whole host of others also boost of millions of users worldwide, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the sector going forward.
