Telegram with Aniways lets you have fast and reliable messaging across all platforms

Telegram with Aniways (Free) by Aniways is an alternative messaging app that is fast, fun, and based on the official Telegram service. If you are looking for another option for messaging besides iMessage, then Telegram with Aniways is a great choice to consider. It’s similar to other apps on the marketplace, such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Like most people, I’ve been using Apple’s own iMessage service ever since they introduced it several years ago, and even more so when they brought it to the Mac. However, I’ve come across many annoying glitches during my time with iMessage, and while I still use it by habit, sometimes it’s just a pain — non-synced messages, ghost badge counts, failure to send something, and overall, it’s pretty slow.

I don’t usually turn to third-party messaging apps because it’s always going to be easier to just use the default method, but Telegram with Aniways was interesting enough for me to check out, especially after I saw what benefits the Telegram service has as a whole. I’ve been using it for the past few days and have successfully invited some people to use to service with me, and it’s been most enjoyable.

For those who are new to Telegram, to use this app, you’ll have to create an account. To do this, you’ll need to use your phone number so that others who know your number can find you on the service, or see you if they already have you in their address book. Once this is done, you can edit the rest of your profile, which will include your name, a username (so people don’t need to have your phone number to add you), and profile photo. However, if you’ve already been using Telegram, then just use the information you originally signed up with.

The design of Telegram with Aniways is simple and clean, making it feel like a native iOS app. You’ll have three main views for Contacts, Chats, and Settings, so everything is neatly organized and navigating the app is quick and straightforward. While the default background will be plain, there is the option to choose a wallpaper for the chat views, and I found many of these to be gorgeous and not overly busy and distracting. It adds a nice personal touch to the app, though I wish you could even use your own photo instead, since you can upload a profile photo.

If you’re looking for anyone you know who may already be using Telegram, just check the Contacts tab after granting permission to access your address book. Anyone who is using Telegram will show up at the top of the list, and you can see when they were last online too, if they choose to show that information. This screen is also where you’ll go to invite people to Telegram, start a secret chat, and send out a broadcast to all of your friends (one message sent out to multiple people).

When you get a chat going, it will show up in your Chats list, complete with the recipients profile picture and timestamps. Your messages are shown in a light green color, and incoming messages are in a grayish white. Each message has a timestamp shown next to it so you can see exactly when it was sent. Checkmarks show up on messages to indicate that it was successfully sent, and double checkmarks tell you that the message was read.

In addition to just sending basic text messages, Telegram with Aniways allows you to send images (even search for something specific on the Internet) and video, your location, and contact cards. All of these are done by tapping on the paperclip icon in the text field, as it brings up a menu. You can even scroll through your recent images in the Camera Roll or snap a new photo. Voice messages can be sent through the app as well, which is done by long-pressing on the microphone button (next to the emoji button) to record.

Another fun feature of the app are the emojis and stickers, which is dubbed “Smart Emoticons.” As you type, Telegram with Aniways will highlight certain words — this means that there is an emoji or sticker that you can use instead. These appear in real-time above the text field as you write, but you can always go back to them if you don’t want to be interrupted. This is the emoticon auto-suggest functionality at work, and it doesn’t just limit itself to emoticons and stickers either, since a swipe to the left on the bar will bring up some related animated GIFs. For further customization, you can adjust the settings for the emoticon bar too. If this isn’t your thing, you can also tap on the emoji button on the text bar to bring up the custom stickers and emoji that Telegram with Aniways uses.

If you continue to use the app a lot over time, then there may be the chance that you need to recall some information in a chat you’ve had with someone. Fortunately, Telegram with Aniways has a search feature in the Chats screen, and you can filter through entire conversations or just messages. The search is incredibly fast, and definitely does a better job than iMessage. If you tap on a result, the app takes you directly to that message in a thread, rather than the end of a conversation like in iMessage.

In the settings screen, users can set their profile photo, adjust notifications and sounds, privacy and security, chat settings, and choose a background. Additionally, if you end up with a different phone number than what you originally signed up with, you can change it and all of your data will be moved to that new number. Any contacts who had your old number will automatically get your new number added to their address book as long as you have not blocked them. Your username can be edited as well.

I’ve spent a few days using Telegram with Aniways, and I must say, it’s been fantastic. I noticed that messages go through much faster than iMessage (especially media), and I’m loving the Smart Emoticons — it’s much easier to get the emoji, sticker, or GIF I want than having to go through a list and find them. I’ll continue to use Telegram with Aniways to communicate with friends daily, but iMessage will be a tough habit to break.

I recommend giving Telegram with Aniways a try if you are looking for messaging alternatives to iMessage and don’t want to use something like Facebook Messenger. You can get Telegram with Aniways on the App Store as a universal download for free.