Slack for iOS gets sizable remake for easier navigation

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slack.for.ios.update
The update to Slack for iOS is focused on easier navigation.
Photo: Slack

In March, the Slack update was for Mac desktops. Now it’s time for iOS. 

The redesigned communications platform Slack released its iOS app Monday with a redesign of its user interface to better improve navigation.

In a App Store post, the move of Slack’s main menu is from behind the three-line icon to a bottom corner navigation bar. The move is meant to clean up an already tight for easier navigation user interface on mobile devices and concentrate the main screen on messages and content.

Other additions include a new compose button in the bottom right corner to start new direct messages or channel messages, a swing left command to return to the last conversation, and a Lightning bolt icon to navigate to various shortcuts.

The update follows a similar one in March for desktop devices with an eye on simplicity and customization. The paid version saw major changes including the ability to organize channels, name sections, drag and drop channels and conversations in a customized order, and move direct messages and apps into customizable sections within the sidebar.

Big Fixes

Big Fixes in the new iOS version, as described by Slack, include:

• Previously, it was complicated to get to the four main things people do on mobile. We’ve fixed this with a new nifty navigation bar at the bottom of the app containing: a Home view for your sidebar, DMs, (still listed most recent first), Mentions (for quickly catching up), and You (because you’re great) (and also because setting your status/preferences on mobile needed to be easier).

• The quickswitcher on the desktop app is wonderful, but we discovered an issue where people weren’t using it as much on mobile. So we made the Jump To box more prominent (and smarter) to fix this. Fingers crossed!

• It seemed bizarrely hard to create a new message in a channel or DM without finding that precise location first. With an application of logic, software engineering, and a new “Compose” button in the bottom right corner, this has been rectified.

• Our apologies to people who have been wanting to easily set reminders, start workflows or access favourite apps in channels and conversations — it was hard to work out how to do that on the move. A new lightning bolt under the message box now gives quick access to shortcuts, and thereby solves this age-old problem.

• And finally, it came to pass, as time went by, that in the old version of the app, there was a lot of swiping back and forth to get places. We’ve simplified that: Now,swiping right will reveal your workspace and preferences, and swiping left will get you back to the last conversation you were in. With this change in behavior, we hope to give you the powers of both omniscience and time travel. nbd.

• And yes. We know. Change is hard! All our fingers have all built up muscle memory, but after continually adding features and functionality over the years, we needed to step back and make sure things made sense. You can find more about these improvements in our blog post, and as always, we welcome your feedback. Thank you for reading all the way to the bottom. We appreciate it, and you.

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