Instagram update brings speed improvements and redesigned look

Instagram is bringing out an update for its Android app today, and it’s a pretty massive upgrade. One of the first changes you’ll notice is a redesigned look. Although the app’s button layout is largely the same, the new design includes brand new icons and font changes that bring a clean, modern look to the app. The camera screen has also been redesigned and you will find several other tweaks to the look throughout the entirety of the app.

Aside from the design changes, Instagram has also been re-optimized to allow it to perform better, particularly on less powerful devices. This is important because more than 60% of the app’s users are outside of the U.S. and in markets where less-powerful budget devices are much more commonplace.

So what have they done improve the experience?  In addition to testing and further optimizing Instagram for many popular lower-end handsets like the Samsung Galaxy Y, the app has also been cut down to half of its former size. In terms of speed increase, profile loading is now double its former speed and all other Instagram tasks and settings should see roughly a 20% increase in performance. There are no new features added with this update, but it does introduce several unspecified bug fixes.

At least for the moment, Instagram’s update has yet to reach the Play Store, but it is scheduled to go live later today. We’ll be sure to update as soon as it arrives.