Telegram CEO Pavel Durov wrote a post this week revealing that Apple was holding off on releasing a major Telegram update for an unknown reason. Now the update has finally been approved in the iOS App Store, and Durov confirmed that Apple complained about the new animated emoji included in the app.
The latest update to Telegram’s app for iOS comes with a slew of new features, especially for premium customers. For example, it lets users restrict voice messages and even gift it to anyone with a Telegram Premium subscription. However, the most notable feature that comes with this update is the new emoji panel, which also brings new animated emoji.
More animated emoji are coming to Telegram
Telegram already has some animated emoji, but now the platform is taking the feature even further. Users can eventually add multiple animated emoji to their messages, whereas previously only animated emoji were sent individually. The app offers several packs of “Telemoji”, as these new animated emoji are called.
And that’s where the situation with Apple comes in. In a new post on his Telegram channel, Durov claims that Apple has demanded that the platform remove Telemoji from the update. This is because, in the new pack, the original iOS was heavily inspired by emoji, but with animations created by Telegram.
According to Durov, Telemoji will “bring a whole new dimension” compared to the “stable low-resolution emoji” included in iOS. Telegram’s CEO argues that Apple has opposed “high-quality vector-animated versions of standard emoji”.
The Telegram update with Telemoji has been approved by the App Store review team. However, at least for now, this version doesn’t include an animated emoji pack inspired by Apple’s design language. Durov says that, in the long run, this will inspire Telegram to make Telemoji even more “unique and recognizable.”
It’s worth noting that only premium subscribers can send Telemojis, but anyone can view them in Messages. Telegram is available for free on the App Store, but the premium subscription costs $4.99 per month for iOS users.