Telegram today announced it has updated its iPhone and iPad app with several new features, including message reactions, translation, hidden text, additional interactive emoji options, themed QR codes for users and channels, and more.
With the addition of reactions, users can now double tap on a message bubble and a small thumbs-up emoji will appear at the bottom of that message. You can change the emoji for this quick reaction in the app under Settings > Stickers and Emoji > Quick Reaction. For more reactions, tap and hold on a message bubble.
Similar to the invisible ink option in iMessage, Telegram now offers spoiler formatting for hiding text. When typing a message, select the text you wish to hide, tap on B/I/U in the black popover menu, and tap Spoiler. Messages sent with spoiler formatting will appear blurry in a chat, and you can tap the message to reveal the hidden text.
Telegram now offers the ability to translate any message into another language, right in the app. Translation can be enabled in the app under Settings > Language, and then you can tap and hold a message to translate it into your language. You can also exclude any languages you speak fluently to hide the translate button for those messages. On the iPhone and iPad, this feature requires iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 or later.
Another new feature is the ability to generate themed QR codes for any users that have a public username, as well as for groups, channels, and bots. There are also additional interactive emoji that animate when sent, like the fire emoji and loudly crying face.
Telegram version 8.4 is available now on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.
