Telegram's latest update adds stickers, improves message reactions

Encrypted messaging app Telegram has started rolling out a new update that brings easy-to-make video stickers, better reactions with compact animations and extra emoji, a button to review unseen reactions, improved navigation between chats and more.

Telegram said that its animated stickers have unmatched quality and efficiency -- needing less than 30 KB of data per sticker. However, creating such stickers requires experience and specialised software such as Adobe Illustrator.

"Today, we are adding support for stickers converted from regular videos, so that anyone can easily create detailed animated stickers using any video editing programme," the company said in a blogpost this week.

"Like always, you can publish your packs with the @Stickers bot -- or add some of the new sets made by others," it added.

Developers can use the Sticker Import API to build powerful apps for creating and importing stickers to Telegram.

Reactions now have more compact animations. To send a larger effect, press and hold on to a reaction in the menu. Like interactive emoji, reactions are now synchronised, so your recipients will see the animations in real-time.

This update, for iOS and Android users, also adds five new reactions to help you discuss anything from Christopher Nolan's movies to global economic news, the company said.

These reactions can also be sent as interactive emojis.

When jumping through unread channels or moving between chats, press and hold the 'Back' button to return to a specific chat. Opening chats from forwarded messages, links, usernames, profiles, etc. adds them to the list, the company said.

--IANS

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