Telegram To Drop ‘Free Forever’ Promise In Future Software Update
Photo 196031716 © Boumenjapet | Dreamstime.com
Telegram, the WhatsApp lookalike and alternative that keeps your data secure from advertisers, has long vowed to stay free forever. In fact, anyone who installs the app will currently be shown a screen that reads: “Telegram is free forever. No ads. No subscription fees.”
The messaging service walked back on the no-advertising claim late last year. To support its activity, the platform announced that it would allow advertisers on channels with more than 1,000 subscribers. Chat lists, personal conversations, and private groups remain advertisement-free.
Now, reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi has discovered that the old “free forever” slogan has been wiped out in an updated code. The absence of this text validates that Telegram will soon introduce a Premium tier, something that the text messaging app confirmed previously. That means the other two promises—“free forever” and “no subscription fees”—are about to be knocked down too.
Currently it says: "#Telegram is free forever. No ads. No subscription fees." 👇🻠pic.twitter.com/fQSW3UgCkS
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) May 27, 2022
Small changes in #Telegram 👀
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) May 27, 2022
â„¹ï¸ This screenshot is based on the new strings available on https://t.co/jIjnX8t5NQ https://t.co/xMNuySSIO6 pic.twitter.com/IwaaA3AQoY
The new tagline declares: “Telegram provides free unlimited cloud storage for chats and media.” It’s worth noting that the version now available to public iOS and Android users continues to display the old message.
As for what the Premium version will entail, an iOS beta points at the introduction of a star badge for Premium users, along with exclusive reactions and stickers. A timeline for when to expect the paid option has not been announced.
[via Android Police and GSMArena.com, images via various sources]
