🍌 Access to certain Russian media has been restricted in the EU under DSA/sanctions laws 🇪🇺

🔉 Meanwhile, all Western media Telegram channels remain freely accessible in Russia 🇷🇺

🤔 Who would have thought that in 2025 Russian Telegram users would enjoy more freedom than European? ❓

- @Durov

🏆 Telegram iOS Contest 2024: Results

We appreciate your patience as we evaluated the results of this contest. The complex task and the initial requirements we outlined proved to be challenging to the majority of contestants.

Out of a total of 23 entries, 7 were disqualified for introducing changes that broke the application build process.

After confirming that the remaining apps could be built and included the features outlined in the contest task, we proceeded to the testing stage.

After many hours of testing and cross-checking the submissions, we discovered that only 4 out of the remaining 16 apps were able to play the HLS streams. Unfortunately, the approach used in these apps is far from optimal and, as a result, cannot be used.

Since we were also working on the same task under the release cycle with an even tighter deadline, here’s the approach currently used in the iOS app:

We use bridging to connect the JavaScript implementation of HLS and the native code. For rendering, we created a player compatible with Media Source Extensions.

After evaluation, we have decided to split the prize fund in half and increase the total prize pool for Round 2 by an additional $25,000. Stay tuned for updates in Q1 2025.

Meet the winners!

2nd PLACE – $6,500
🥈Classy Whale
🥈Bold Wasp

3rd PLACE – $3,000
🥉 Tall Penguin
🥉 Subtle Cow

We have also decided to award 12 other contestants a bonus of $500 for their contributions, and we hope to see them in the prize-winning spots next time. (More details and check if you are on the list – on contest.com)

🆒 We planned an epic New Year’s Eve update with unique gifts for our users. Unfortunately, it’s been stuck in Apple’s review process for a few days, and we still have no response from them. Thanks for your patience — and happy 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣

- @Durov

🧸 Happy New Year Everyone 🎁🎆

New #Gifts

🎁 25 ⭐️ (Limited)

🎁 50 ⭐️ (Limited)

🎁 50 ⭐️

Send Gifts

🐵 Humans are hardwired to copy others by evolution — for a good reason. Mimicking those around us has been the most efficient survival strategy for millions of years. However, the world is different today. We now live in an age of rapid change — what used to be efficient becomes a recipe for mediocrity and decay ☠️

🥂 Let 2025 be the year we rely on our own opinions — not imposed stereotypes and outdated thought patterns. Only by trusting our instincts and following our own unique paths can we fulfil our potential and make great contributions to the world 🎨

🎆 Have a happy and productive 2025,
everyone! 🚩

- @Durov