Remember the hugely popular Change.org petition calling for Snap Inc. to revert back on the recent redesign of Snapchat? Well, Snap has officially responded and it’s pretty clear: the redesign is here to stay, regardless of what you have to say.
In the message signed by the Snapchat team and posted as a reply on the petition, the company says that it’s heard the feedback of the redesign loud and clear and acknowledges how the “new Snapchat has felt uncomfortable for many.” The petition started after the company released its redesign of the app and received more than 1.2 million signatures, a milestone that warranted a response from Snap leadership.
Taking a look at Snap’s response, they’re basically saying tough luck, which echoes CEO Evan Spiegel’s response from last week. After saying tough luck, the company tries to reassure users that the new Snapchat redesign will adapt to them over time, and also teased a new feature coming soon to iOS and Android. In this new feature, it will make it easier to customize your own Snapchat with tabs for the Friends and Discover sections of the app.
Ultimately though, Snap is saying that it’s leadership though long and hard about the redesign of the app and has thus far no intention of reversing the direction they decided to take. Last week, defending the redesign, Spiegel said at the Goldman Sachs Internet and Technology Conference that “The complaints we’re seeing reinforce the philosophy. Even the frustrations we’re seeing really validate those changes,” Spiegel said. “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.”
Here’s the full text of Snap’s response to the petition:
We hear you, and appreciate that you took the time to let us know how you feel. We completely understand the new Snapchat has felt uncomfortable for many.
By putting everything from your friends in one place, our goal was to make it easier to connect with the people you care about most. The new Friends page will adapt to you and get smarter over time, reflecting who you’re most likely to be Snapping with at that moment. This same personalization is also true of the new Discover, which will adapt to you the more that you use it.
Beginning soon on iOS, and with Android in the coming weeks, we are introducing tabs in Friends and Discover, which will make it easier to find the Stories that you want, when you want them. Once you receive the update, you’ll be able to sort things like Stories, Group Chats, and Subscriptions, allowing you to further customize your own experience on the app.
This new foundation is just the beginning, and we will always listen closely to find new ways to make the service better for everyone. We are grateful for your enthusiasm and creativity. We are very excited for what’s ahead.
