The addition comes just a couple of weeks after WhatsApp unveiled a surprise policy change that let the service share info with parent company Facebook. WhatsApp rushed to reassure users that Facebook wouldn’t read their messages, but that point had already done the damage. Millions of WhatsApp users left for rival services, including Telegram and Signal.
The iOS release might only offer limited help. WhatsApp is mainly popular in countries where Android dominates, such as Europe and India, and doesn’t have much traction in North America. Still, it’s clear Telegram is eager to seize the moment and hopes many of those exiles will stay put.