It’s been nearly two years since Instagram came to the Android operating system. Today, the app gets a long-awaited makeover.
Instagram talks about new design
Instagram’s engineering manager Peter McAllister explained, “We wanted to focus in on our Android users. Android is a first-class citizen for us and we wanted to provide a better design. This new design is both uniquely Android and uniquely Instagram. It’s more in harmony with the Instagram platform and will have the familiarity Android users enjoy.”
Considering the fact that 60% of Instagram users are from outside the United States and about half of the site’s users come from Android, this upgrade has been needed for quite some time.
What users can expect from this app upgrade is a cleaner, crisper appearance. This redesign even includes fonts and icons to create a fresher look. What users won’t get from this upgrade is new features. McAllister said that though the company is trying to keep the Android app on par with the iOS version, there is still some carry-over.
Key differences in design
Tech Radar added, “For one, the blue orb that lets users take a picture in Camera in the iOS app is now beaming for all droids to see. It has a bit of a twist on the original monotone blue circle, as do some of the other rejiggered icons, but the overall look of the Camera UX is in line with iOS. For McAllister, the most noticeable changes are to be found in the Camera and Sharing screens. The makeovers allow for more room for the Camera’s tools, and make “better use of the screen space for richer and fuller photos.”
Another major benefit with the improved app is screen size. Whether the user is using it on a small phone or a larger phablet, the screen self-identifies the dimensions of the display to create a better fit.
