Snapchat is one of the most downloaded social media apps, however the app has undergone somewhat of a face life recently. Snapchat’s CEO, Evan Spiegel, recently announced a new design for the Snapchat app, along with the principles behind this redesign. Snapchat now defines the boundary between friends and professional content creators more clearly, separating them to the two sides of the app.
This redesign of the Snapchat app has garnered the attention of the most experienced Snapchat users as well as industry experts for several key reasons. The simplicity of it all masks the deep and thoughtful insight that Snapchat is trying to utilize in order to win (back) its fans.
Friends First
In a video describing the thinking behind the new app redesign, Spiegel mentioned how friends are not content. This was the main principle that DesignRush covered when the company took a closer look at the redesigned app.
Spiegel is right. In all other platforms, the line between social interaction and content consumption is very much blurred. It is difficult to separate genuine friends from followers. Even platforms such as Instagram are struggling with creating more intimate user interaction.
That intimacy is found in the new Snapchat app. The main app view is still the camera, but swipe right and you will see all of your friends. You can then choose to exchange Snaps, engage them in conversation, and develop that intimacy and closeness through Snapchat.
Designed for Everyone
As mentioned earlier, the main app view is still the signature Snapchat camera interface, complete with filters, a text tool, and other features users can utilize to produce great Snaps. In this respect, Snapchat is trying to inspire everyone to be a content creator.
More importantly, Snapchat is positioning itself as the perfect tool for capturing moments, creating instant content within seconds, and sharing that content as quickly as possible with close friends. At the same time, the tool can be pushed further, making it just as suitable for those who want to take Snapchat more seriously.
And then there’s the left swipe, which reveals the new Discover view. This is the extra depth that the new Snapchat app brings to the table.
Smart Content Consumption
The Discover tab isn’t just a tab for displaying all publisher content on Snapchat. It is a highly curated, very customized view of the entire ecosystem. Users get to consume the content they truly love and Snapchat is doing most of the heavy lifting to make sure only relevant Snaps are presented to users.
Once again, the social aspect of the app takes centre stage. Content on the Discover tab can quickly be shared with friends and relatives who are also on Snapchat. This can potentially spark fun discussions and many more Snaps on that one piece of content alone.
It is easy to see why DesignRush considers the new Snapchat app stunning from an app design and UX perspective. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel himself summed it up perfectly.
“When we first built Snapchat, we made it easier to express ourselves by talking with pictures. But today we’re making it easier to find the people you want to express yourself with.” Even better, you only need to try the new app once to understand the whole concept.
