Telegram Premium's existence and imminent launch is confirmed by the app's founder

Telegram has been around for nearly 9 years now, and has managed to stay free to install and use for all of that time. That is now officially set to change in 2022, however, according to its company's CEO and founder Pavel Durov.

The executive has just confirmed months of rumors pertaining to a new tier of the app called Telegram Premium, and that paying for it on a regular basis is necessary to unlock the messaging service's newest and most interesting functions.

They include documents of a larger size than that previously supported within the popular app, as well as the latest stickers and reactions available within its UI. All users, including those who remain on its Free version, will be able to see these new assets, although only Premium members will have the option to actually select and send them.

Telegram's CEO asserts that this new subscription-based model is the best way to maintain the app's user- and privacy- focused ethos, unencumbered by interference from corporate sponsors (even though it does also now integrate ads on a limited basis).

However, whether the same users are willing to start subsidizing this mission (as Durov ostensibly projects) remains to be seen. Telegram Premium's pricing structure and roll-out also remains a mystery at present, although it is now slated to launch by the end of June 2022.

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