Snapchat tweaks its app redesign to show friends' Stories alongside Discover content
Earlier this year, Snapchat overhauled its app to separate 'social' and 'media'.
Now, the social media giant wants to make it easier than ever to see Stories from friends.
Snapchat is rolling out a redesign to its app that places a few user-generated Stories on its Discover page, which also features content from brands, celebrities and media organizations.
The redesign is launching for a select number of users for now, according to Recode.
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Snapchat is rolling out a redesign to its app that places a few user-generated Stories on its Discover page, which also features content from brands, celebrities and media organizations
'We are always listening to out community and will continue to test updates that we hope will give Snapchatters the best possible experience on our platform,' a Snapchat spokesperson told Recode.
Snapchat overhauled its app last November to separate 'social' and 'media', creating a clear distinction between interactions with friends and content from publishers and creators.
Snapchat still opens to the camera, but swiping left reveals a new 'Friends' page, where users see Stories from the friends they talk to the most.
Swiping right from the camera now reveals a redesigned 'Discover' page, where users will see Stories from publishers, creators, and the community.
The firm has been busily adding new features to the platform since the redesign was launched.
Earlier this month, Snapchat added a 'Tab's feature to the app that will separate Snaps into Group Chats and active Stories.
Tabs are also being added to Snapchat's Discover page, where it will separate content into sections from publishers, creators and the community.
In addition to the new Tabs feature, Snapchat has added GIFs to the app that will let users include animated stickers on their photos and videos.
'Tabs will make it easier for Snapchatters to keep up with the Stories they want, when they want them,' a Snapchat spokesperson said in a statement.
Earlier this year, Snapchat rolled out a redesign to its app that separates 'social' from 'media'
Snapchat said the Tabs feature will arrive on iOS and Android devices 'in the coming weeks.'
The move comes after Snapchat completely overhauled the app's design last November, by separating the app between 'social' and 'media' in an effort to make the app more personalized and easy to use.
Snapchat chief Evan Spiegel defended the redesign at Goldman Sachs' Internet and Technology Conference, saying that 'it will take time for people to adjust.'
Rumors, however, began to circulate that Snapchat was testing a Tabs feature.
A Twitter user noticed that Snapchat was rolling out a new update that added sections to the friends page, as well as a new GIF feature.
Snapchat confirmed later on that the GIF feature would be coming to the app.
The GIFs are powered by Giphy, an online database and search engine that lets users discover new animated GIFs.Snapchat's GIF tool gives users access to 'GIPHY's endless library of animated GIFs added to the sticker drawer for you to use in your Snaps,' the company noted.
To add GIFs to your Snap, start by taking a photo or video in the app.
Snapchat recently added GIFs that let users select from hundreds of animated stickers. GIFs can be found by clicking on the 'Sticker' icon in the toolbar on the right side of the app
WHAT HAS SNAPCHAT INTRODUCED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS? Snapchat has introduced several major new features in the last six months to increase its popularity, including: App redesign : Separates 'Friends' and 'Discover' pages to create a more personalised experience.
: Separates 'Friends' and 'Discover' pages to create a more personalised experience. Deluxe bitmoji app : Features new hairstyles and skin tones and more inclusive avatars.
: Features new hairstyles and skin tones and more inclusive avatars. Snap Store : Users can buy a t-shirt with a dog filter plastered on the front or a plushie of the firm's 'augmented reality superstar,' also known as the dancing hot dog, among other items.
: Users can buy a t-shirt with a dog filter plastered on the front or a plushie of the firm's 'augmented reality superstar,' also known as the dancing hot dog, among other items. Custom geofilters : Geofilters are a location-based tool that allows Snapchat users to share where they are, or what they're up to, by adding overlay text and images to a Snap. They can be placed to cover an area the size of a house up to a 100 football pitches and made visible for a couple of hours up to a few days.
: Geofilters are a location-based tool that allows Snapchat users to share where they are, or what they're up to, by adding overlay text and images to a Snap. They can be placed to cover an area the size of a house up to a 100 football pitches and made visible for a couple of hours up to a few days. Share Snapchat Stories with anyone : Users can now share Snapchat stories with anyone, regardless of whether they have the app. The features allows users to create a hyperlink for clips and pictures. The feature appears when you press and hold down on certain ‘tiles’ in the Discover part of the app.
: Users can now share Snapchat stories with anyone, regardless of whether they have the app. The features allows users to create a hyperlink for clips and pictures. The feature appears when you press and hold down on certain ‘tiles’ in the Discover part of the app. Add links, voice filters and backdrops to snaps : The 'paperclip' feature allows users to add a link to their snap, which users can open by swiping up. The 'backdrops' feature allows users to add a motif backdrop to their snap by drawing they want to stand outside of the filter. The 'voice filters' allows users to remix the sound of their voice in various different styles, including that of a cat or an alien.
: The 'paperclip' feature allows users to add a link to their snap, which users can open by swiping up. The 'backdrops' feature allows users to add a motif backdrop to their snap by drawing they want to stand outside of the filter. The 'voice filters' allows users to remix the sound of their voice in various different styles, including that of a cat or an alien. Group video chat: Users can add up to 16 friends at once to a group video chat, which can be accessed in the app's messaging section Simply tap the video icon in a group chat in the app. Friends in the group will receive a notification inviting them to join.
Users can add up to 16 friends at once to a group video chat, which can be accessed in the app's messaging section Simply tap the video icon in a group chat in the app. Friends in the group will receive a notification inviting them to join. Tagging: To tag a friend, users insert the '@' sign, type out their friend's username and then tap on the name of the user they want to tag. When a user sees a tagged Snap, they can swipe up and add the person as a friend or view any public Stories.
Then, tap the Sticker icon in the right-hand toolbar on your screen and search for what you want to add to your Snap.
Users can add multiple GIFs to their Snap and add the animated stickers to videos by pressing and holding on the sticker to pin it to something in their Snap.
In January, Instagram added a GIF tool that was also powered by GIPHY.
The two social media platforms have been piggybacking off of each others apps for a while now, ever since Instagram copycatted Snapchat's ephemeral Stories feature in 2016.
Instagram later added filters that were similar to Snapchat's interactive lenses, while Snapchat introduced looping Snaps that took a page from Instagram's Boomerang tool, to name a few examples.
In recent months, Snapchat has doubled down on its efforts to compete with Instagram - not only through the redesign, but with unique features like snippets of live TV broadcasts.