If any of you have noticed, these past few weeks have felt like a digital revolution and by that, I mean chat apps like Signal and Telegram have been hitting back hard at WhatsApp from all angles ever since its privacy policy mishap.
The latest version of Signal seeks to lure in more users to its platform with a list of new features to the popular encrypted messaging app adding things like chat wallpapers, animated stickers, and an ‘About’ section to user profiles.
The new features are now available for both iOS (5.3.1) and Android (5.3.7) versions, which means Signal is taking a braver step towards focusing on mainstream features and not only security to its app in an attempt to attract more users and retain the existing ones too.
Signal and Telegram have both seen a surge in growth in recent weeks and this is partly because Facebook made a grave error with its new confusing privacy policy for WhatsApp that forced many to migrate to other options.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk also had a hand in it too, after he tweeted about Signal being the better option which brought about a serious migration of users from WhatsApp to the popular encrypted messaging app. Aside from that, Signal has been praised for being one of the most encrypted messaging apps compared to its competition.
According to The Verge, the new features were first announced on January 11th, with Android Police reporting on them being rolled out in the beta version of Signal for Android last week Friday.
The new chat wallpaper feature allows you to pick from several presets or select a photo of your own. One can also set wallpaper for a specific conversation or all of them. The beta release had 24 animated stickers at the time, according to Android Police.
Signal adds mainstream features to lure more people to its app
Having gained popularity for its high-end security features, Signal is becoming a major contender in the chat apps market and may soon join the likes of Telegram which now boasts over 400 million users.
The updates that have been added to the app will surely be a great step forward and could attract even more users with time. Hopefully, they will also work on the user interface and try to make it even more attractive than it is now.
Signal has been a popular option for those focused on security when it comes to communications and privacy. According to reports, the app was taken on as the major messaging option for the European Commission staff, who were told to switch to it in February 2020.
Reports also state that Signal is also planning on releasing new security-focused features, such as encrypted group video calls. However, at the moment, the app is trying to add more mainstream features like wallpapers and stickers to attract more users who are leaving behind WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
What is your favourite messaging app? Let us know in the comment section.
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