Did you know Telegram CEO Refers to WhatsApp As ‘Cheap Version of Telegram’

 

Telegram has been acing the game in terms of milestones after it surpassed the $1B revenue target last year in December. After that, the app was able to hit one billion active users but if you think the CEO is done yet, think again.

Pavel Durov certainly did not hold back in terms of taking a jibe at Meta’s WhatsApp platform. The Russian referred to the world’s most popular texting app as a cheap version of Telegram that left many stunned.

During his latest announcement, the CEO shared how his company’s biggest rival is actually not all that it might seem. He saw it as nothing more than a low-cost watered-down copy of Telegram.

The 40-year-old tech executive shared more on this front including how WhatsApp tried to imitate Telegram’s offerings for so long. They would use billions of funds for the sake of PR and lobbying, just to hold the Telgram back and hinder its expansion.

Regardless of all those efforts, Durov spoke about Telegram reaching new highs and getting the right expansion at the right time. This includes major profits and also maintaining its autonomic power.

While we cannot comment on the opinions he holds for Meta’s firms, we can confirm that the app is certainly getting one step closer to being one of the best messaging platforms for the current generation. Yes, Facebook and X are doing great with the youth but Telegram says it wants to get better without putting any compromise on the values.

The app managed to produce up to $547M in profits last year but it’s got such a long road ahead of itself. This is in comparison to the profits it shared for this year which stood at $62B.

The CEO has paid a heavy price for his app’s success. He’s been facing a long court battle in France, after which he chose to make his way to Dubai. It all began after his arrest in Paris last year in August. After he arrived in the French capital on his private plane, he was taken into the custody of French authorities. The reason was accusations related to Telegram being a hub for drug trafficking, abuse, and fraud.

The CEO rejected all such claims and tried to prove his innocence. He called the matter baffling and misguided. Another statement was published through his Telegram channel where he stated that it was not fair to hold him accountable for any kind of actions carried out by third parties on the app.

That is when the app made it a point to share IP addresses as well as phone numbers to all perpetrators of law enforcement agencies when it needed all of this. Since the detention, Telegram chose to undertake serious policy reforms to cater to issues of illegal material. The service united with the Internet Watch Foundation which was dedicated to finding and getting rid of material of child sexual abuse.

On the orders of the CEO, it’s also so much more transparent and reporting any content that was removed which is a common practice in the world of tech.