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Snapchat Abandons Simplified App Redesign to Enhance User Experience

Snapchat has scrapped its simplified three-tab app redesign after testing revealed power users struggled with navigation. Instead, Snap is experimenting with a refined five-tab interface that retains all original tabs and improves access to Spotlight, its TikTok competitor. This change aims to balance casual user engagement with power user preferences, following a slight decline in North American users. Snap also reported strong revenue growth and teased upcoming AI and augmented reality innovations.

Published April 29, 2025 at 06:08 PM EDT in Software Development

Snapchat recently announced it is discontinuing its simplified three-tab app redesign, which consolidated navigation to chat, camera, and Spotlight, its TikTok-like feature. This decision follows seven months of testing that revealed significant challenges for power users who rely heavily on features like Snap Map and Stories.

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel explained that while the simplified design offered valuable insights, it ultimately made it harder for dedicated users to find key content such as Stories, subscriptions, and the Map. As a result, Snap is pivoting to a refined five-tab interface that maintains all existing tabs and enhances Spotlight’s accessibility by positioning it directly next to the Camera tab.

The company’s research showed that integrating Friend Stories within chats and elevating Spotlight’s prominence significantly increased daily content viewership, especially among casual users. However, the most engaged Snapchatters preferred the familiarity and functionality of the five-tab layout, which supports tile-based content discovery and a dedicated Map tab.

This strategic reversal comes amid a slight decline in Snapchat’s North American daily active users (DAUs), which dropped by one million to 99 million in Q1 2025. Despite this, Snap reported a 14% year-over-year revenue increase to $1.36 billion, driven by growth in its Snapchat+ subscription service and advertising solutions.

Beyond interface changes, Snap is investing heavily in AI and augmented reality (AR). The company saw a 55% year-over-year increase in daily active users of its My AI feature in the U.S. CEO Evan Spiegel hinted at upcoming AI-powered innovations that will integrate visual communication and multimodal models, potentially transforming user interaction through AR-driven AI interfaces.

Snapchat’s global monthly active users (MAUs) surpassed 900 million, with daily active users reaching 460 million worldwide, marking a 38 million increase year-over-year. These milestones underscore the platform’s continued relevance and growth despite regional user fluctuations.

Balancing User Experience and Innovation

Snapchat’s experience highlights the challenges social platforms face in evolving their user interfaces. Simplification can alienate power users who value comprehensive features, while complexity may overwhelm casual users. Snap’s refined five-tab approach aims to strike a balance, preserving familiar navigation while enhancing content discovery and engagement.

The integration of AI and AR technologies signals a forward-looking strategy to differentiate Snapchat through innovative visual communication tools. As multimodal AI models become more sophisticated, platforms that seamlessly blend AI with user experience will likely lead the next wave of social media evolution.

Implications for Developers and Businesses

For developers and businesses, Snapchat’s iterative design process underscores the importance of user feedback and data-driven decision-making in app development. Balancing feature richness with usability is critical to retaining diverse user segments. Additionally, leveraging AI to enhance user engagement offers new opportunities for personalized content and immersive experiences.

Businesses can also glean insights into subscription monetization and advertising strategies from Snap’s revenue growth, emphasizing the value of diversified income streams alongside user base expansion.

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