The All So Dreaded Snap Update
Are all these updates a good or bad?
It has been a little over a week since Snapchat released its new and ‘improved’ update and I’ve heard many avid Snapchat users complain about the latest update. Snapchat’s new update wasn’t just the usual tweaks, it was a complete platform redesign.
How are users reacting to the change.
Many users that I have talked to are saying that it’s hard to navigate. This redesign moved everything around, to find snap stories you have to swipe right and click on the little bitmoji. This has caused considerable confusion for many users, including some of my friends.
“With the new update, I don’t know where anything is, it took me 20 minutes of exploring to figure out how to use the app,” said my friend, Nick.
Many of us don’t have 20 minutes to spend navigating an app we have been using for years.
“I glance a Snapchat on my lunch break or in between classes to get a few minutes of enjoyment or to see what my friends are up too. With the new update I’m unsure of where everything is,” said Maria, my coworker
The reactions I got weren’t all bad; however, one of my friends I talked to loves the new update.
“I like what Snapchat did here they took their platform and made it futuristic. I really like how they implemented the use of the bitmoji to the users; I think it adds a personality to the platform. My favorite part of the update is when you swipe right; they moved all the news, celebrities, and events to one area, which I think, are convenient. Overall I like the new update, it took a little getting used to, but as humans, we are designed to evolve,” my classmate Brian said.
After talking to my peers, I came to the conclusion that mixed feelings are surrounding the update.
How is Snapchat reacting?
Snapchat’s reaction to the updates is very positive. Even though they have been getting criticism of the new update, Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat, doesn’t seem worried in the least. In a rather blunt moment at Goldman Sachs’ tech conference Spiegel says,
“Some of the complaints we’re seeing reinforce the philosophy. So for example, one of the complaints we got, you know was, wow I used to feel like this celebrity was my friend and now they don’t feel like my friend anymore. And we’re like, exactly. They’re not your friend.”
He goes on to explain that even though they’re getting some push back from the update, they are very pleased with it, saying
“So for us, even some of the frustrations we’re seeing really validate those changes. And it’ll take time for people to adjust. But for me having used it now for a couple months, I feel way more attached to and invested in the service than I ever have.”
The fact of the matter is change is inevitable whether we like it or not and the update is here to stay. As Spiegel said, “it will take time” and in about 2 or 3 months no one will even think about it anymore because we will adjust and move on. Given the fact that Facebook and Instagram continue to steal pages from the Snapchat playbook the future is uncertain. I would not count them out; however, while features have come and gone in the app’s history, I think some of features could greatly improve the platform in the long run.
