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Telegram Briefly Flirts with Pay to View Posts

Messaging services like WhatsApp and Telegram always look for new ways to monetize their user populations through premium services, in addition to expanding their user bases with new features.

Since June, it has made a premium subscription available, enabling users to access more features, follow more channels, and download files more quickly. Recently, the service was discovered to have a paywall covering specific messages and media.

Matt Navarra, a social media strategist, published screenshots of paid posts (via 9to5Mac). We observe that channels send texts, movies, and even photographs that are hidden behind pay-to-view notices. The video and image previews are obscured, and a button asking for money is prominently displayed. Messages are displayed collapsed until they are paid for.

The concept isn’t absurd by any means; producers might monetize certain pieces of media through paid content distribution. Paying to view specific posts might also develop into an easy way to determine how well-liked a creator’s work is, enabling them to raise money for small- to medium-sized projects or mobilize support for charitable causes.

According to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, producers have been employing “third-party payment bots” to sell their work, which has led to them receiving practically the entire sum that viewers paid to view that video — as opposed to only a small portion, as is frequently the case on mobile platforms. Naturally, when Apple learned of this and complained that it had not received its 30%, it was forced to restrict access to these sponsored posts on iOS devices.

While avoiding Apple’s ecosystem, Durov says it will continue to explore methods to provide creators with monetization options. At the same time, he calls for regulatory action against what he perceives as Apple abusing its dominant position.

When it introduced audiobooks, Spotify also recently ran afoul of Apple’s in-app payment (IAP) policies.

We hope that a well-liked chat app like Telegram is not removed from the App Store, but Durov has been loud in his criticism of the iPhone manufacturer before.

The fact that certain channels already have access to the feature despite the platform’s lack of an official announcement suggests that it is still in testing.

It’s unknown whether Apple is aware of its ambitions, but it doesn’t seem plausible given that selling in-app content via different payment methods is against App Store standards.

A representative reportedly stated that the business has not been testing a feature for paid posts. Pay-to-view and third-party donation bots are two alternatives used by some artists.

The corporation recently decreased the premium user monthly subscription rate in India from Rs 469 to Rs 179.

The platform announced the reduction in subscription fees in a statement to its users in the nation, as it focuses on rapidly expanding there.

How many users are on Telegram?

According to company statistics, it has 700 million active users per month. That is a 40% increase since the start of 2021.

How much is a Telegram subscription?

Depending on where you live, Telegram Premium has a monthly subscription cost of $4 to $6. Telegram regrettably doesn’t offer a free trial; you either use it or don’t.

What is the new Telegram premium?

While some of these capabilities are accessible to all users, some are only accessible to Premium subscribers. Animated emoji status can now be added to the app by Telegram Premium users. In the chat list, on profiles, and in groups, this custom status will take the place of the Premium Badge.

How many users does Telegram Premium have?

To monetize some of its sizable user bases, Telegram has collected over 700 million monthly active users and is introducing a premium tier with more capabilities.

Why do people want Telegram?

Because it provides some improved privacy and encryption protections as well as support for features for large group chats, Telegram is a well-known cross-platform messaging program that is frequently utilized.

Conclusion

Recently, it was found that the encrypted messaging service Telegram had a paywall protecting particular messages and media. Users receive SMS, movies, and even pictures with pay-to-view notices covering them. CEO Pavel Durov of the company demands legislative action against what he sees as Apple misusing its dominating position. According to reports, messaging service Telegram is developing a feature that would let users pay for in-app content using a variety of payment options, like advertising or third-party donation bots. Recently, the company reduced the cost of a premium user’s monthly subscription in India from Rs 469 to Rs 179.

With more than 700 million active users per month, Telegram is launching a premium tier with enhanced features. Some of these features are available to all users, while others are exclusively available to Premium subscribers.

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