In what we can call an unprecedented change, 'The New Facebook' has been rolled out with a fresh and simpler look. Although they are still working on making this experience better, they want people's feedback on this new look and feel.
At the F8 2019 conference, Facebook executives announced that they will launch a massive re-design update called 'The New Facebook' or FB5. The update is related to the change of Interface, which places a greater emphasis on Groups & Events. These are 2 of the biggest reasons, people visit Facebook daily.
'DARK MODE' TO GIVE YOUR EYES A BREAK
Considering all the privacy-related changes it has received in recent years, Facebook has not been tweaked much from a visual standpoint. This is finally going to change; the new update has both the options, Dark Mode - ON or OFF. Facebook described it as a cleaner design, with more of an all-white look and a dark mode option.
At F8, Zuckerberg said that FB5 marked the biggest change to Facebook’s apps and website since it took its apps native in 2014, and the new design was simpler and faster, adding that groups gained more prominent real estate to fulfil the company’s goal of “making communities as central as friends.”
The new dark mode option lowers brightness while maintaining contrast and vibrancy, reducing glare for usage in low-light environments. You can find things easily with this cleaner look and bigger text. People using the redesigned site will experience quicker load times and transitions between pages. This immersive layout makes it easier for people to view and comment on Stories, Facebook Watch shows & Photo Albums.
People with no access to the new design can go to their Settings menu for desktop and click “See New Facebook”. They also have the option of returning to the current design by going to the settings menu and selecting “Switch to Classic Facebook”.
FACEBOOK 2020
The new interface uses a responsive design; it displays content based on screen width and other parameters. If the width of the browser window is adequate, Facebook displays a traditional but heavily modified three-column design. The design features rounded corners and is more colourful than the previous design of desktop Facebook. Text appears larger and there is more grey space; this may lead to extended scrolling sessions as less content is displayed at a time on the visible part of the screen.
NEWS FEED & GROUPS
In terms of more concrete changes, Facebook is multiplying its efforts on group communities & private interactions and has suggested - we can expect a major disruption in how we get our content from Facebook in the future. Friends & Family should be the core of our social lives; So, Facebook Groups will now be prioritised and surfaced more to you.
There will also be new features, events for specific communities, like Chat for Gaming Groups, as well as interaction improvements for Facebook Live and those who use it for buying and selling purposes.
Facebook began rolling out 'The New Facebook' to mobile users in late 2019. To try it, make sure you're running the latest version of the Facebook mobile app. As for desktop users, Facebook began rolling the new version in March 2020.
Also Read- Leveraging LinkedIn during the new normal
FINAL THOUGHTS
All things considered, Facebook is now sleeker, more minimalist, and certainly more modern. Now, whether it’s a good thing or bad thing; depends on everyone's perspective. This stripped-down interface does seem to have come at the cost of information density - you're going to find a lot more empty areas than before, due to the increased spacing between various elements.
Let us know in the comments, what do you think of 'The New Facebook'!
Author - Darwin Anthony (Social Media Manager)
Reviewed By : Heta Baandal , Managing Director - Sociomark
