New for Discord: new features, improvements to the mobile application, we tell you everything!

Discord remains the undisputed leader among VoIP software, and intends to remain so. The platform has just announced its “ Fall Release », which will bring its share of innovations and new functionalities.

Born in 2015, the project was initially a discussion space intended for gamers. Very quickly, Discord evolved into a very versatile place of exchange for various communities: study or work groups, developers, or circles of people gathered around very varied passions.

The software is full of many very interesting features such as the possibility of organizing temporary voice events or the possibility of streaming your activity. This year, the Discord application crosses the borders of the PC and is invited to consoles by integrating into Xbox and a little later into PS5. So what does Discord have in store for us this year?

An even smoother user experience

Anyone who has already used Discord will agree with this statement: once you get to grips with its rather unique interface, it is very fluid and easy to use. After this new update, the platform will be even easier to use: it will be possible to integrate third-party applications even more easily (Spotify, Twitch etc.) without needing to juggle tabs or integrate into applications. voice lounges.

Discord has also worked to make the application even more pleasant to use on mobile. This year, the time it takes to open the app has been reduced by 43% on IOS and 55% on Android. A lot of work has also been done on the back end so that it consumes less data when it launches. The functionality for sending voice messages is significantly simplified, as is that for uploading media. A new theme will appear: called “Midnight”, it is even darker to save more battery.

The search function has also benefited from an overhaul to make it more efficient, as has the notifications tab and settings management. Bots will be configurable and used more flexibly by developers or server managers.

Boosting the developer community: a crucial objective

Discord’s API is not open source, but the platform provides public documentation for it, which makes the work of developers much easier. It is therefore very popular, and more than 750,000 third-party applications are hosted around the world on Discord. Obviously, the company wants to continue on this path, especially since the AI ​​boom has caused an avalanche of new highly appreciated applications on the software: Midjourney, Dank Memer or Rythm for example.

A few weeks ago, Discord launched a subscription to Premium applications in the USA for developers to make their jobs easier and allow more effective promotion of their work. This subscription is now extended to Europe and the United Kingdom. On the menu: easier configuration, better management of SKUs and transactions.

Improvements for Nitro members

The vast majority of Discord’s features are accessible for free, and the company generates revenue solely through Nitro subscriptions. These allow its users to benefit from numerous advantages: streaming in FHD, animated avatars, upload of larger files, etc. More recently, customization of the application logo and improvement of the Soundboard have appeared. Discord has chosen to further enrich the experience of Nitro users.

Since this summer, an early access feature has been in testing for members with this subscription. For example, “Remix” was introduced this summer, a kind of user-friendly meme generator that allows images to be personalized and shared among friends. Last week, “Clip” was made available, which allows you to instantly capture sequences of gameplay or exchanges in voice rooms.

Last month, a new store was launched for Nitro members, which allows them to purchase customization elements for their profiles: accessories, avatar decorations or various and varied animations. Accessories used to be seasonal, but now they can be kept at will. The store will also open its doors to users who use the free version of the software.

Safety: hassle-free navigation

Regardless of the online service involved, user security is a major concern; Discord is no exception and is committed to increased protection of its platform. This results in a series of new contributions, particularly focused on the safety of young people.

Concretely, a series of filters and alerts will be activated by default for adolescents:

• First, setting up a specific security alert when a young user receives a private message from another user for the first time. This alert will notify the recipient and check if they really want to respond. If not, Discord immediately provides the process to block it and will provide additional safety tips to raise awareness.
• Then, a new filter is automatically activated if the platform detects that sensitive content is shared in direct messaging. The media in question will therefore be blurred, and will therefore encourage younger people to be cautious. A feature which is also available to everyone.

As you can see in the image above, a new warning system is appearing. Whenever a user violates Discord’s rules, they will be notified for their incorrect behavior. A private message will be sent to him (a bit like Reddit) in which it will be explained which message or publication is causing the problem. He will also be informed if actions will be considered against him (account restriction for example). A history of rule violations will appear in a new tab, “Account Status”. The platform insists on the fact that not all violations will be considered in the same way, and that moderation will be intractable on certain subjects: sexualization of children or violent extremism for example.

Discord remains to this day the only platform that does not need an algorithm to remain attractive to its users. With less than ten years of existence, this clever mix of social network/voice messaging/game rooms/creative tool has more than 150 million users worldwide. This new update, even if it will not disrupt the experience of the vast majority of users, is frankly welcome. It is these small improvements which, taken together, give a qualitative result.

Source : Discord