Telegram Stories are now rolling out to a select few users. However, there’s a catch. The new WhatsApp-like feature on Telegram is available only for Premium users. For the uninitiated, the Telegram Premium was priced at Rs 469 per month but was reduced to Rs 179 per month last year.
For the price, Premium users get access to tons of exciting features, including Stories. Telegram Stories differs from its counterparts from WhatsApp, Instagram, and Snapchat. Telegram Premium users will get additional features like custom duration, recipient lists, etc. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
Telegram Stories Now Available to Premium Users
After the official announcement last month, Telegram Stories is now rolling out to those who are subscribed to the Premium membership. For the uninitiated, the Stories are ephemeral posts that stay on top of the timeline on Instagram and have a dedicated tab on WhatsApp. Users can post anything from links, photos, videos, and more. However, the Stories disappear after 24 hours on all the abovementioned platforms.
However, Telegram lets users set Stories for 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours. Clearly, Telegram is giving control to users on how long they want their Stories to appear. Telegram also allows users to create different lists of recipients for stories. It means they can share relevant Stories posts with appropriate groups of people like colleagues, family, friends, and so on.
This is quite similar to Instagram, which lets users select close friends and select whether they want the Stories to be shared with close friends only or all of their subscribers. Telegram Stories interface is quite similar to Instagram, with circular profile tabs appearing on top with Stories from their contacts. In comparison, WhatsApp has a dedicated tab that lets users check their contacts’ stories by tapping their profile picture in the chat list.
Users can also send a reply or reactions to Telegram Stories like other platforms. However, while Telegram Stories is visible to all, users must be subscribed to the Premium plan to post them. Users will be prompted to sign up for a Premium subscription when they try to post Stories. However, the prompt says, “Posting stories is currently available only to subscribers,” which means it could eventually become free for all shortly.
According to an announcement on its official Telegram Channel, the instant messaging platform was hesitant to add Stories to its platform. However, it was one of the most requested features since it lets users share instant updates with their contacts.
