A third-party feature allows messages to be hidden until interested users pay a fee to reveal their content.
Telegram has been implementing various paid features in its messaging app for some time. Earlier this week it became known in Spain the possibility of buying user names using cryptocurrencies. Now a third-party function comes to WhatsApp's rival to restrict messages that can only be seen in exchange for money, but that has clashed with Apple.
To see these messages you will have to pay first, so this new tool works for which it does not benefit financially. Initially, it is aimed at giving more funding options to channels and content creators within this messaging application, you can better control to whom photos or videos are sold.
The content will not be shown until the author receives payment from each user interested in viewing it. Some channels are already using this new feature, charging a dollar or a euro for their messages. The money goes directly to the authors, without commissions, bypassing even Apple and Google's commissions.
Hidden messages
Social media consultant Matt Navarra has shared several screenshots this week on his social networks in which you can see how this new payment tool works in Telegram. It is a third-party bot and not a native Telegram feature.
The messages appear hidden with a message indicating the price to be paid. The money is transferred from reader to author via Telegram's own payment system, Smart Global Payments. The amount goes directly to the creator's account, for now, Telegram would not keep any commission for this service.
Telegram is testing pay to view posts?! pic.twitter.com/ZDI5xUpBkR
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) October 27, 2022
Once paid, the message is uncovered and can be read in full with a small print indicating that you have paid to view it. The feature allows you to embed photos and videos in these new paid messages to hide them until you receive the price set for them.
Bypassing Apple
The fact of using its own payment system and third-party bots could respond to the intention to circumvent Apple's App Store fees, as pointed out by the media 9to5Mac. Apple charges 30% to all developers who offer payment services within their apps.
Telegram is subject to that commission for the Premium version it launched in June this year for $4.99. However, as they are third-party bots, this procedure would be circumvented by Apple and also with Google.
Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, issued a statement this Friday, October 28, indicating that Apple has claimed the commission for these bots, so they have had to disable such paid posts on iOS devices. "I hope regulators in the EU, India and elsewhere start taking action before Apple destroys more dreams and crushes more entrepreneurs," he says in the statement.
Author: recenzie
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