Rooted devices can now relish the nimbler version of Snapchat known as the "Snapchat Alpha", which features a user-friendly interface and an improved performance.
Snapchat's Android app has been the center of criticisms among its users due to its poor performance that includes constant choppiness. In November last year, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel revealed that a new Android app was in the works, with the hopes of addressing performance problems. Talk Android mentions that the new update will likely be available for everyone in a few months, when it's flawless enough for Snapchat to release.
A Faster And Cleaner Snapchat
The Snapchat Alpha, which can be enabled on devices with root access, features a new interface and UI changes. Jane Manchun Wong, who discovered the Snapchat Alpha, said that the new Android app of the multimedia messaging company is smoother compared to the old one.
"Snapchat's new faster Android UI is underway. It's generally smoother than the old one. Emoji brush is coming to the new UI for Android too," Wong wrote on Twitter.
The emoji brush, which can be used in drawing things with a selection of emoji, has also been adopted in the new app. Aside from its smooth performance, the Snapchat Alpha is also equipped with an Instagram-like story menu, which shows an Instagram-stories interface with a search bar and a preview.
Snapchat has also redesigned the bottom bar of its messages UI by removing the calling and the video calling methods. Additionally, the new messages UI is likewise geared with a capability to put the bar in the middle and move the icons on the side.
The app made some headway on the display department by changing the navigation bar to black instead of transparent. In addition, Snapchat Alpha, which has been discovered in Snapchat's code, also highlights a slimmed down Settings menu with less clutter and limited options.
Still Missing Features
Regardless of its enhancement, there are still relatively a few issues in the Snapchat Alpha as the app suffers some steady crashes as well as the inability to send chats. The Snapchat Alpha does not also come with Snapcodes and the essential trophies.
Engadget notes that users will be disappointed if they are expecting for pictures that are as good as what iPhone users get since the camera app still captures the screenshots rather than the direct photos. Nonetheless, Talk Android concluded that the app is still pretty far away from being ready for usage since it is still in an alpha state.
