‘Frustrations validate changes’: Snapchat CEO excited about redesign despite backlash

Earlier this month, Snapchat rolled out an update full of new designs and features. While many users weren’t too thrilled about the changes, the company seems to be happy about them.

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TechCrunch reported that Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel recently responded to the backlash surrounding the platform's latest layout. Unlike many, he said, he is excited about what he's seeing.

"The harder part you can't get around is the time it takes to learn," he said at the Goldman Sachs Internet and Technology Conference Thursday. "Even the complaints we're seeing reinforce the philosophy. Even the frustrations we're seeing really validate those changes. It'll take time for people to adjust but, for me, using it for a couple months I feel way more attached to the service."

Credit: Larry Busacca

Credit: Larry Busacca

Snapchat first announced the redesign at the end of last year and the tweaks were gradually introduced to markets at the beginning of 2018.

Related: ‘Change it back’: Snapchat users not happy about latest update

Stories are no longer ordered chronologically. Instead, they are ranked based on your most recent interactions. It also takes a few more steps to rewatch a story. The option to rewatch a post isn’t available right after viewing. You now have to go to the user’s profile to get a second peek.

Furthermore, the friends section now contains snaps, direct messages and group chats all on one page, as opposed to separate pages as before. And to manage your own stories, you now have to tap the Snapchat logo to access the camera and see your story views and deleted snaps.

As the alterations appeared, many took to social media to express their displeasure. More than 1 million people even signed a petition on Change.org in an attempt to force the company to revert back to the original setup.

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