Instagram ditches retro hipster camera icon for a bold new colorful rebrand
May 11, 2016
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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Today, Instagram have introduced a new look. While a little more flashy than the previous polaroidesque icon, they state that the new one represents a simpler camera with the familiar rainbow living on in gradient form.
While the icon itself seems to have gotten more outgoing, the app has been cleaned down to a more minimalistic and muted layout, allowing you to concentrate more on the images you see scrolling down your screen.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/166138104
Browsing quickly through the feeds with the updated monochrome UI first spotted being tested a few weeks ago, it certainly lends itself well to highlighting the content people choose to post.
Actually posting the content seems much snappier and simpler, too, with a cleaned up UI making it easier to skip past all those filters you never use. Just kidding, who doesn’t love to destroy their photography with half a dozen wisely chosen filters? :)
The simpler design puts more focus on your photos and videos without changing how you navigate the app.
They have also updated the icons for Instagram’s other creative applications: Layout, Boomerang and Hyperlapse.
Change is inevitable, especially when it comes to apps. I’m not sure changing an icon is worth all the fuss Instagram seem to be making about it, but the UI of the app certainly needed a bit of a refresh.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/166112315
For more information, check out the Instagram blog.
What do you think? Like the changes? Hate the changes? Don’t care either way? Let us know in the comments.
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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6 responses to “Instagram ditches retro hipster camera icon for a bold new colorful rebrand”
looks awful
It is ugly.
Meh!
The icon is vile. But the app’s black and white them is nice.
Don’t like.
I’m sure some press release does what they always do and explain how the design stands for X Y and Z but mostly I think what does this sort-of-rainbow, maybe more like sherbert hmmm, have to do with anything? The inside is fine though. Although it feels like it’s more words than images though, like they increased the font size a smidge but the images are still what they are.