For many years, the most popular application for making video calls was Skype. In fact, I would say that it continues to be so, or so it appears even in series and movies, something for which marketing may have something to do. But the truth is that video calls have never been very secure, and for that reason Telegram went to work to offer something that even WhatsApp already offered, but much better.
On August 14, the team of developers of the popular messaging app launched several versions of their app, the most important being the 7.0 that are available on iOS and Android, with the possibility to make video calls. In the notice, they warned that the function would arrive earlier on Android, since Apple takes longer to review the apps and they had not arrived on time (which seems they were not very funny). On the other hand, and what may interest our readers more, they also released Telegram 2.3 for desktop, with many changes since v2.0 and in whose list of new features only "Video calls (alpha version)" is read.
Video calls come to Telegram, but in alpha version
Having used several versions, I think that at the moment it is all a bit confusing, something normal considering that they are still in alpha phase. On mobile devices, there are users who do not see the "video" option even though they have updated and even made a video call, but the video icon does appear if we enter our contacts section. If we are on the desktop version, we have to remember that it is Telegram 2.3, are also available, but we have to touch the phone icon and, during the call, click on the video button (see header capture) to output an image of what the camera picks up.
At the time of writing, the feature is already present in the Windows version of Telegram, but Linux has not been updated, or at least Flathub's, so we still can't video call unless we download the binary version, available at this link. Nothing similar appears in the web version either, but they are probably waiting at a more advanced stage to include the new function also for use in the browser.
Personally, as a user who does not trust the quality of WhatsApp very much and who does not use any other messaging app, this seems like very good news to me. Like me, are you considering using Telegram as the default video calling app?
Yes, I am considering it because I am changing all the services that I used from American companies that do not respect European data protection laws (WhatsApp, Google, etc ...) for others such as GMX for email, Telegram for chatting, Vivaldi as a browser that has the servers in Iceland, etc ...
Still at this point in the movie, I don't understand how those of us who use Signal as the default application are in the minority.
I use it as an instant messaging app, for sms, video calls, personal notes and for everything that comes to mind.
I encourage everyone who reads this comment to delve into Signal, in its code if they have knowledge about it, in its encryption that is a benchmark and to take the step and download it because in my opinion there is nothing yet that surpasses it without distorting the data flow.
I use Telegram for 5 years, I have seen the evolution and it fascinates me !!!!!