5 Major Interface Changes
The importance of continually adapting to change is important in all industries. Whether you’re analyzing a new Digital Realty Trust strategy or switching to synchronized cloud services, keeping up with the times is a virtual must. The same is doubly true of the Internet, and if you have any doubts take a look at recent moves of some of the biggest names in new media:
YouTube
The user generated video giant is still in the process of a titanic interface change that will accompany an even larger strategic change in YouTube as a whole. Google’s esteemed media magnate will be releasing 25 new content channels that will feature original programming. This has realigned the site into a more modular channel-based interface—including the integration of Google+ profile video and subscription feature, ‘better’ user settings, channel suggestions, etc.–that has everything to do with YouTube posturing itself to take on existing telecommunications giants in broadcast TV. User reaction hasn’t exactly been cheery.
Spotify
The music streaming phenomenon, which is simultaneously being hailed as the rebirth of the music industry and the nail in the coffin to traditional revenue generation, has finally changed its interface to include a radio feature similar to Pandora and Last.fm. The new interface, called Echofi, will seek to save Spotify from the finiteness of playlists by allowing users to create radio stations based on aggregated search results. The Echofi feature even comes with ‘love’ and ‘ban’ buttons, similar to Pandora. Spotify has not yet announced whether or not they will release a mobile version of their new radio interface, but one can guess this is inevitable.
Recent changes to the search interface has repositioned the advanced search feature and is transforming the notorious black bar to a pop-up that appears after cursor roll over. The user has the option of using more robust tools for search refinement. Meanwhile, the new Gmail interface include resizing options, an overall smoother look, the ability to change chats and label dimensions, HD themes, a more conversational email aesthetic, and plenty more.
Twitter seems to be attempting to shift itself to more of a Web app, adding several major changes to its interface this year. The first change is the addition of a Me section that makes the user profile more engaging. The new Connect feature tries to keep users more in the loop and up to date on their tweets. The Discover feature attempts to steer the user toward new content based on usage patterns. The Home page has also been changed to allow for a more collapsible, conversational mode. Twitter is expected to finish rolling out these new features in the early part of the new year.
Facebook’s major interface change continues to be its Timeline feature, including the new cover image feature in which the user picks their own optimized image. In other changes, updates are organized date-wise, to which users can pictures and videos from different time periods.
How successful these interface changes will be can’t be said yet, considerable money has already been spent. Users can expect the new layouts to be relatively permanent—that is, until the next change comes.
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