Telegram’s new clubhouse-like audio chatting feature

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Messaging app Telegram has added a clubhouse-like audio-only chatting feature to its app, a few days after micro-blogging platform Twitter confirmed the rollout of Space.

The Dubai-based app made a change to the voice chat feature in December last year, allowing users in Telegram channels to participate in live audio conversations, according to the company’s statement.

Telegram said that fans and public groups of the channel can now host conversations for millions of live listeners, which can be called “public radio for the 21st century”.

The move has led many social networking companies to try to build their own versions of the clubhouse, an app that has recently become popular. Since its launch in April 2020, it has received more than 8 million downloads worldwide, according to app analytics firm App Annie. The presence of Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on the app has helped to achieve 2.6 million downloads in the US alone.

Also read A sandbox to talk to club house ‘affected’

Last month, the new York Times Had reported that Facebook wants to build a product similar to the clubhouse.

Administrators on telegram channels can record audio through voice chat, and save and publish them to followers who have missed a live event. The chats being recorded have a red light next to their title.

If they want to speak, listeners can also tap to extend their hand, like the feature in the video-conferencing app Zoom. Listeners and speakers can be invited to chat via separate invite links, and they can also see the topic of conversation before joining.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov indicated in a separate statement that users can expect a TV station-like feature later in the app.