
Snapchat’s New Update Triggers Revolt by Millions of Teens - ryan_j_naughton
https://www.thedailybeast.com/snapchats-new-update-triggers-revolt-by-millions-of-teens
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pythonaut_16
> _One of Snapchat’s biggest criticisms has been that the app is too
> complicated to use._

> _While the majority of Snapchat’s young userbase could navigate the product
> just fine, older users struggled to comprehend the layout._

Ok, so younger users are better at adapting to new and unusual interfaces.

> _Hundreds if not thousands of teens lost their streaks, some of which had
> been maintained for hundreds of days, because they were confused at how to
> send snaps using the new interface._

Hmm...

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nwsm
As someone who uses the app daily: the update blows.

If you don't use the app I'll probably lose you here, but:

1) The main page is so much more cluttered. I don't need to see someone's
bitmoji or a tiny preview of their story.

2) There was something satisfying about being able to clear all the stories on
the story page. With stories on the main page now, this satisfaction is
basically gone. A major misstep by SC imo. They should have latched on to me
being addicted to looking at all my friends' stories. I'm using the app more.

3) Finally, and this is what makes the least sense to me, is that now I never
have a reason to go to the second page and see all those stupid "trending
stories". My click % on those is all but 0 now, where as before, when I had to
look at them to see my friends' stories, I would sometimes find one of them
interesting and click to read.

That last one isn't really a complaint, as I don't have to see those stories
now, but just doesn't make sense.

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nissimk
I'd like to see a discussion of this by people who understands social networks
better than me. Facebook updates have been meet with similar backlash and
usually result in more user acceptance long term. Is that because they are
tweaked to meet expectations or the users get used to them?

It sounds like they choose to deemphasize streaks and a lot of users really
love that feature.

Is there a better way to handle this sort of rollout?

~~~
rtkwe
Any UI change large enough to be an overhaul is likely to get the same kind of
reaction as people go through whatever learning curve there is to using the
new interface. Overtime people just get used to it and the new interface
becomes the interface. Admittedly I wasn't scrutinizing the whole rollout of
the several bemoaned Facebook overhauls but I don't really remember them
really changing much of the design once it was pushed out.

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youkick
I think we're seeing a more intense backlash because the core Snapchat product
doesn't exist in a vacuum anymore. Instagram has crafted a superior UX for the
same use case(s).

My gut says that the redesign is primarily a reaction to Instagram's product,
not to meet the "needs" of it's users.

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smpetrey
It's too bad they didn't roll out the UI as a feature. Allowing users to opt-
in or opt-out. That way users could tinker with it and not lose their streaks,
and learn the new UI before the _real_ rollout.

The mismanagement of Snap is so absurd. This company is going to end in a
fiery scorched earth death.

