Telegram launches a Web 3.0 browser and a mini-app store

What’s new? Pavel Durov’s Telegram messenger, which is tightly integrated with the TON blockchain, has launched a browser with Web 3.0 support and multi-tabbed operation, a mini-application marketplace, and the ability to give friends the internal Telegram currency — Stars.

Pavel Durov’s channel

What else is known? The Telegram browser supports decentralized websites hosted on TON in all messenger mobile and desktop applications. Pages opened with it can be minimized and opened via the messenger’s bottom bar, allowing you to move freely between chats and websites.

If a user receives a notification while reading an article, browsing the web, or playing a game, they can check the message and return to their browsing without losing progress. A bookmarking feature is also available that will allow you to return to web browsing at a later time.

A press release also states that Telegram has a monthly audience of 950 million users, with over 500 million of them interacting with the mini-app regularly.

The Telegram team has also added an apps tab to the search bar, where you can see not only the apps in use but also the most popular mini-apps, which include both services and games.

The section of popular apps may include projects that use the messenger’s internal currency called Stars.

Developers can now upload video demos and screenshots of apps to demonstrate the functionality to potential users. In addition, they can create customized stories, such as AI-generated videos or leaderboards — users will be able to repost such content to their stories, which will help apps attract additional audiences.

Stars coins can now be transferred to friends if they have a Telegram Premium subscription. These coins can be used to pay for digital goods in mini-apps or access paid content in author channels. To transfer coins, you need to go to the settings section and select the My Stars line.

If a user from the contact list has a birthday, it will be displayed at the top. Stars gifted to such a user will be displayed in the chat as an animated gift box.

Other new features include the ability to activate the camera flash when recording video messages, the ability to share the weather in Stories using a special animated widget, as well as the ability to add music, geolocation, or links to Stories via the Stickers section and select a still image to display as the Story Cover.