Snapchat Rebuilds Its Android App: What This Means For Users

Snap Inc. has announced that it has rebuilt Snapchat for Android.

Thanks to the overhaul, the app is now on par with its iOS counterpart in terms of performance.

Snapchat Reworked For Android Users

In comparison with the old version, Android users can expect a smoother, lag-free experience on the new Snapchat. On top of that, there should be fewer run-ins with bugs overall.

It's also going to get updates faster than before, possibly even earlier than the iOS app. That's according to Jacob Andreou, Snap's vice president of product, who was interviewed by Android Authority along with other members of the team.

"With this new foundation I wouldn't be surprised if you actually see things starting to come to Android even before iOS sometimes," the executive said.

In addition, there's a good chance that interesting features will land first on the Android version too.

"Android will be becoming a place where we are really testing our latest and greatest stuff which has definitely not been the case historically," Andreou continued.

What users shouldn't expect is a new user interface or anything along those lines. Arguably, this isn't exactly about changing the Android app and its entirety but rather a rewrite of its code from the ground up, with the goal of making it more optimized.

Snap Just Had To Redo Everything

According to the interview, it seems that Snap hadn't really known that the Android app had problems. The development team attempted to find a solution by way of patches and updates, but in the end, it eventually determined that it had to rewrite the whole thing to reach its goal.

One of the hindrances the company faced was how different Android phones' cameras work and their compatibility with the app. At that, the new version aims to take into account the diversity of Android hardware.

Snap is gradually rolling out the new and improved Snapchat for Android, eyeing a full launch before the end of 2019.