Probably it’s not a valid reason to use Telegram just because your contacts are there, as today, people remain available on several platforms and messaging apps.

That tech exclusivity is not typical, and users tend to get the most out of each service.

Image: Here

However, the increasing number of Telegram mobile and Telegram desktop users tells us something important: this is more than a messaging app.

But how does it handle so many features and services without crashing its messaging platform? This article covers some interesting technical specifications that allow Telegram to be more than a messaging platform.

Gaming Integrations: How Telegram Handles Casino-Style Experiences

Most messaging apps don’t double as gaming platforms but Telegram does. Through its Bot API, developers can create bots that offer interactive games right inside the chat.

These aren’t just simple text adventures; Telegram supports HTML5 mini-games complete with graphics and sound, playable solo or with friends in group chats.

These capabilities are the reason why even many of the renown digital casino platforms like Joe Fortune offer Telegram gaming.

For example, casino-style games like slots or poker can be implemented as chat bots that users interact with using buttons and commands.

When a user hits “Play” on a game bot, the bot can load a lightweight web-based game interface in Telegram, keeping the experience seamless.

Telegram’s gaming platform essentially loads games on-demand like ordinary webpages, meaning the game code only loads when needed – making it lightweight on your device.

This design allows for rich graphics and real-time interactions without bloating the app.

Behind the scenes, these game bots use asynchronous interactions: the game runs in an in-app browser and communicates scores or moves back to the bot, which then updates the chat (for instance, posting high score updates).

Telegram’s servers and Bot API handle the messaging and callbacks efficiently, so players see updates instantly.

How Telegram Wins at File Sharing: A Comparison With Popular Platforms

Another area where Telegram shines is file sharing. The software was built with a cloud-based architecture that treats file sharing as a core feature, not an afterthought. Here’s how it compares to other popular platforms:

As shown above, Telegram allows significantly larger files than most competitors. It raised its limit to 2 GB long before others caught up, and even offers 4 GB for paying users – handy for videos, large PDFs, or zip archives .

WhatsApp, by comparison, only recently increased its cap to 2 GB from a mere 100 MB, and that is per transfer (it still doesn’t serve as long-term storage).

iMessage caps attachments around 100 MB by default, often compressing videos or forcing iCloud links for bigger files.

And while AirDrop is great for instantaneous local sharing without size limits, it’s not an internet solution and works only between Apple devices in proximity.

From News to Niche Channels: The Power of Telegram’s Broadcasting Infrastructure

Beyond chats and groups, Telegram’s Channels feature is a game-changer for one-to-many broadcasting. A channel is essentially a feed where admins post messages that can reach unlimited subscribers.

This turns Telegram into an open broadcasting tool akin to a social network or news feed, but without the complex algorithms or platform noise.

Telegram’s broadcasting infrastructure allows anyone to become a publisher and reach large audiences directly.

In fact, many media outlets, organizations, and independent creators have embraced Telegram channels to disseminate news and content.

It’s not just mainstream news: Telegram channels cater to every niche imaginable. Tech enthusiasts, book clubs, meme collectors, finance gurus – if you have an interest, there’s likely a Telegram channel (or dozens) about it. Some statistics on popular channel categories illustrate this diversity:

• News channels– followed by ~85% of users (the top news channels have millions of subscribers).
• Entertainment channels(movies, memes, etc.) – ~62% of users follow these.
• Educational channels(courses, tutorials, info-sharing) – ~58% of users.
• Political channels– ~50% of users, reflecting Telegram’s role in political discourse in some regions.

These numbers show that people aren’t just using Telegram for private chats, but as a place to consume entertainment and sports content tailored to their interests, especially ahead of the major sports streaming events.

It’s worth noting that other messaging apps have started to play catch-up here. In mid-2023, WhatsApp introduced its own one-way “Channels” feature for broadcasting, clearly inspired by Telegram’s success.

However, initially only select organizations/celebrities could create WhatsApp channels, and while they now also support unlimited followers, Telegram had a multi-year head start in cultivating a channel ecosystem.

Telegram’s openness (any user can create a channel on any topic) and rich integration (bots can post to channels, channels can link to groups, etc.) still set it apart.

In essence, Telegram blurs the line between a messaging app and a social media platform – it combines the privacy of chats with the reach of broadcasts.