Instagram is becoming known for shaking things up. Especially after the uproar from the Instagram algorithm fiasco, it’s really no surprise that they’ve done yet another update to their app. But… this is a bit different.
Instagram’s most recent change was visually focused. (A bit of a facelift if you will.) They updated their logo to a simple gradient icon of the colors featured in the original logo and they traded in their blue and white color scheme for a white and black one which allows the user to focus more on the photo than its surroundings.
Instagram posted a message to users on the app’s account, below, with a short video showcasing the process through which the logo was designed, as well as a brief explanation as to why they chose to give the app this update.
Today we’re introducing a new look. You’ll see an updated icon and app design for Instagram. Inspired by the previous app icon, the new one represents a simpler camera and the rainbow lives on in gradient form. You’ll also see updated icons for our other creative apps: Layout, Boomerang and Hyperlapse. We’ve made improvements to how the Instagram app looks on the inside as well. The simpler design puts more focus on your photos and videos without changing how you navigate the app. The Instagram community has evolved over the past five years from a place to share filtered photos to so much more — a global community of interests sharing more than 80 million photos and videos every day. Our updated look reflects how vibrant and diverse your storytelling has become. Thank you for giving this community its life and color. You make Instagram a place to discover the wonder in the world. Every photo and video — from the littlest things to the most epic — opens a window for people to broaden their experiences and connect in new ways.
“Today we’re introducing a new look. You’ll see an updated icon and app design for Instagram. Inspired by the previous app icon, the new one represents a simpler camera and the rainbow lives on in gradient form. You’ll also see updated icons for our other creative apps: Layout, Boomerang and Hyperlapse. We’ve made improvements to how the Instagram app looks on the inside as well. The simpler design puts more focus on your photos and videos without changing how you navigate the app. The Instagram community has evolved over the past five years from a place to share filtered photos to so much more — a global community of interests sharing more than 80 million photos and videos every day. Our updated look reflects how vibrant and diverse your storytelling has become. Thank you for giving this community its life and color. You make Instagram a place to discover the wonder in the world. Every photo and video — from the littlest things to the most epic — opens a window for people to broaden their experiences and connect in new ways.”
They also posted on their blog.
To give you an idea of what the visual changes ended up looking like, I’ve included a comparison in the collage below. The screenshot on the left was from May 2nd, 2016 and the screenshot on the right was taken on May 11th, 2016. The blue bar at the top of the screen is now white and the usernames aren’t capitalized anymore. The bottom, black control bar has also changed to a light grey tone that is a bit less invasive. The app is laid out in the same way, everything’s just brighter and whiter, including the background during the editing process
If I’m being honest here, I really do like the change! I like everything being brighter and whiter and I think that it pulls the focus onto the photos that are being uploaded rather than the app’s frame around them. What do you think?
