After years of confusing updates intended to promote different businesses like Instagram Shop and Reels, Instagram has revealed that it will streamline its in-app navigation. According to the company, the Compose button will be placed front and center of the navigation bar at the bottom of the app starting in February, and the Shop tab will be eliminated.
Ditching Shop Tab to Reels
The Shop tab will be replaced by the Reels tab at the bottom of the screen, and a new post button will also be added there. The update will take effect next month. With the new redesign, Reels will now be located to the right of Compose and lose its prominent position.
Reels were previously prioritized over Compose, which caused some controversy among Instagram users who believed the business was pressuring them to use the new features to the detriment of the app’s overall usability. In 2020, the business moved the Reels tab to the centre of the navigation bar and removed the well-liked Activity tab in favor of the Shop button.
Then, to make them more difficult to find, the Compose button and Activity were moved to the upper right of the home screen. Instagram claimed at the time that these modifications will make it simpler for users to access Instagram’s growing range of goods. But in recent months, there has been a rise in criticism regarding how far Instagram has strayed from its initial purpose.
Introducing Redesigned Instagram
Moving buttons around won’t change how the feed itself looks, so not all user issues will be resolved by the impending makeover, but it will at least make it easier for users to share photos, as they have in the past. Additionally, users can be gently encouraged to resume sharing images by giving the Compose button a higher priority.
When a test started deleting the Instagram Shop tab from select users’ home screens last fall and burying it under Settings instead, there were clues that Instagram was thinking about going in this manner. Instagram said at the time that it was merely a test with a small group of users.
A company memo, however, stated that the move was brought about by a change in priorities, as The Information had previously revealed. The business claims that Instagram shopping is still possible even though the Shop option has been removed.
“You will still be able to set up and run your shop on Instagram as we continue to invest in shopping experiences that provide the most value for people and businesses across Feed, Stories, Reels, ads, and more,” said spokesperson.
