Instagram has put TikTok's competitor, Reels at the center, in a redesigned version of its app making it more practical in the central position in the new navigation bar. The update also replaces the Activity tab (heart icon) with the Shops tab, following a test that was conducted earlier this summer.
In the redesigned app, both the Compose button and the Activity tab have been moved to the top right of the screen, while the middle button now belongs to Reels.
The new design, which makes Reels and Shops more visible, and consequently even more usable, is an aggressive attempt by Instagram to direct users towards short form videos and in-app purchases.
The company began testing the Shop tab instead of the Activity tab in July, bringing an updated version of the Instagram Shop. Here, users can filter by brands they follow on Instagram or by product category. And, in many cases, users can pay for their purchases using Instagram's own Checkout feature, which includes a sales fee.
Instagram’s idea to make his app more of an online shopping destination through Shops and other changes, come at a critical time for the online sales market. The coronavirus pandemic accelerated the transition to online commerce by at least five years, according to some analysts.
