Delightful Update: Instagram Instantaneously Stops Refreshing Upon Application Launch
Instagram has lastly tackled a bothersome glitch in its application that has annoyed users for quite some time. Now, upon launching the app, it will delay displaying fresh content until you begin scrolling.
Frequent Instagram users are well-acquainted with this irritation. You open the app, find an engaging post, only for it to vanish momentarily as Instagram refreshes the feed. The issue is further exacerbated due to Instagram's subpar search function, making it next to impossible to find content, especially videos. As a result, the intriguing piece of content you were enjoying most likely vaporized into thin air.
Suspicions had been swirling that this behavior was a bug, possibly due to Instagram being frozen as a background process by iOS or Android, prompting a restart. However, it turns out that's not entirely accurate.
During an AMA earlier this week, Adam Mosseri, Instagram's head, revealed that the term "rug pull," used internally, was a purposeful design choice. The platform was attempting to load fresh content, which took time, so they displayed previously downloaded content in the interim. This tactic generally improved engagement. While this explanation might be legitimate, Instagram wasn't dealing with this content-fetching process smoothly. It should always happen after the user swipes.
Luckily, Mosseri acknowledged that the behavior was truly aggravating. As a result, Instagram will cease to refresh the feed until you begin scrolling, improving user experience. A minor modification that is certain to bring joy to many users.
In the future, this change in Instagram's behavior is expected to significantly enhance user experience, as fresh content will only be displayed once users start scrolling. Recognizing the inconvenience caused by this 'rug pull' tactic, technology companies like Instagram are constantly striving to improve their tech offerings.
