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Telegram Introduces Support For Group Video Calls & Many Other Features
The biggest limitation at the moment is the fact that group video calls are limited to the first 30 people who join a voice chat.
Telegram users have a good reason to celebrate because their favorite instant messaging software now supports group video calls.
To use the new feature, you need to first start a voice chat by tapping or clicking the hamburger menu in the profile of any group where you are an admin and selecting the Start Voice Chat option. From there, simply tap the camera icon to switch your video on.
“Tap on any video to make it full screen,” explains Telegram on its blog. “If you pin a video, it will stay focused as new users join the call and turn on their cameras.”
The Telegram app lets you seamlessly share your screen with others, and you don’t even have to turn off your camera feed. The screen sharing option can be accessed by clicking the hamburger menu icon during a group video call. The same menu is also where you can find the toggle for the improved noise suppression option.
All in all, the group video calls feature seems to be polished and well-implemented, which isn’t all that surprising considering that Telegram first promised to release it by the end of last year, later extending the deadline to May.
The biggest limitation at the moment is the fact that group video calls are limited to the first 30 people who join a voice chat. Telegram is already working on increasing this limit, but we don’t know how long it will take.
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Other notable features introduced alongside group video calls include algorithmically generated animated backgrounds for chats, seamless message sending animations, login information reminders, new animated emoji, improved creation of new sticker packs, two new app icons on iOS, and better communication with bots.
Telegram currently has around 500 million users around the world, and new features such as these are guaranteed to make its user base grow even larger.
News
UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
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The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.