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Tumblr Acquired by Yahoo, iOS App Gets Redesigned User Interface

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Just as Yahoo has announced its acquisition of Tumblr, the Tumblr team has released an update for its iOS app bringing a redesigned user interface that offers up a brand new post type chooser, displaying post options that fan out vertically from the app's redesigned compose button to allow for speedier posting.

The redesigned menu is similar to the radial posting options used by social networking app Path, which displays buttons unobtrusively in the corner of the app. Previously, hitting Tumblr's compose button opened a new window with square-shaped posting icons, which was more obtrusive than the current overlay design.

tumblr.jpg
Old Design on Left, New Design on Right​
Tumblr's update, which was obviously in the works prior to the Yahoo acquisition, also includes app attribution for posts from iOS devices, a feature that was not previously available for mobile posters.

After multiple weekend reports that Yahoo was planning to buy Tumblr, Yahoo this morning announced that it had indeed purchased the blogging platform for $1.1 billion dollars.

According to the company's press release, Yahoo plans to allow Tumblr to operate independently as a separate business, with current Tumblr CEO David Karp remaining in charge of the company.

Tumblr for iOS can be downloaded for free from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Tumblr Acquired by Yahoo, iOS App Gets Redesigned User Interface
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/05/20/tumblr-for-ios-gets-redesigned-user-interface-after-yahoo-aquisition/
fruitpunch.ben

fruitpunch.ben

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2008
599
174
Surrey, BC
The article title is kinda misleading in that it suggests that it was Yahoo behind the UI update. But that's hardly likely, they only announced the purchase a few hours ago
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
fruitpunch.ben said:
The article title is kinda misleading in that it suggests that it was Yahoo behind the UI update. But that's hardly likely, they only announced the purchase a few hours ago
Click to expand...

Excellant point. Also, be real MacRumors, the update was likely submitted well before the acquisition.

I don't use the Tumblr app so I can't say it's an improvement.
 
somethingelsefl

somethingelsefl

macrumors 6502
Dec 22, 2008
461
204
Tampa, FL
Even Yahoo knows they have a tendency to destroy everything they touch. The FIRST line in the press release:

"Per the agreement and our promise not to screw it up, Tumblr will be independently operated as a separate business"


I really enjoy Tumblr but I still have a feeling that Yahoo will, in fact, "screw it up".
 
A

applefanDrew

macrumors 65816
Jul 17, 2010
1,437
4
fruitpunch.ben said:
The article title is kinda misleading in that it suggests that it was Yahoo behind the UI update. But that's hardly likely, they only announced the purchase a few hours ago
Click to expand...

I'm sure the companies themselves just found out about the 1.1B purchase a few hours ago too. :rolleyes:

Fact is, Yahoo and Tumblr have been talking for months or else it wouldn't have been announced today. They probably officially agreed to terms a while back, meaning Yahoo could have had input on the app update.
 
the8thark

the8thark

macrumors 601
Apr 18, 2011
4,628
1,735
According to the press release:
Tumblr will be independently operated as a separate business. David Karp will remain CEO. The product, service and brand will continue to be defined and developed separately with the same Tumblr irreverence, wit, and commitment to empower creators.
Click to expand...
This tells me Yahoo will probably for the foreseeable future have no influence on the app UI. It will be the same Tumblr people. Only now they are under the Yahoo banner.

[edit] I reported this post, to bring it to the attention of MR. Nothing harsh. Just a friendly comment. And thanks for keeping up the good work.

----------
jacobss said:
Where does it say Yahoo is behind the UI update?
Click to expand...
Nowhere. The press release says quite the opposite actually.
 
Last edited:
T

thebigmacapple

macrumors newbie
May 20, 2013
1
0
fruitpunch.ben said:
The article title is kinda misleading in that it suggests that it was Yahoo behind the UI update. But that's hardly likely, they only announced the purchase a few hours ago
Click to expand...

Misleading? If you knew anything about how businesses work, the purchase/acquisition would have been in the works for the past several weeks, or months. I mean, its a billion dollar deal. They only announced publicly the purchase as they just closed the deal today. It's very likely that they had members from their development teams work on this. I'm not saying that they did, but its still likely that Yahoo would be behind the update.
 
P

paul4339

macrumors 65816
Sep 14, 2009
1,448
732
nice... At first, I thought it (the radial menu) would be uncomfortable to use for a right-hander, but I find it actually quite convenient.

.
 
WildCowboy

WildCowboy

Administrator/Editor
Staff member
Jan 20, 2005
18,390
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We certainly didn't mean to suggest that Yahoo was responsible for the new UI, but we've tweaked the post a bit to try to make things more clear.
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
Parasprite said:
Wow, Tumblr can get worse? I can't wait to see what happens.:D
Click to expand...

Things probably won't change. They're operating Tumblr under a separate business for now. That is a sign that changes could happen but something big that will totally change the face of Tumblr won't happen anytime soon, I suspect. Read the press release, you'll see.
 
N

nekonari

macrumors member
Nov 27, 2012
51
1
Washington, DC
MacRumors said:
The redesigned menu is similar to the radial posting options used by social networking app Path, which displays buttons unobtrusively in the corner of the app.
Click to expand...

I'd liken it to OS X's Stacks design, which pops up a list of files quite exactly like Tumblr apps new design:

HT3739-MtLion-FanStack-005-en.png


But I guess Path and this do have similarities.
 
psac

psac

macrumors 6502a
Jul 6, 2009
905
719
Aside from the occasional sponsored post, they actually make money selling their themes. You can get a very simple page layout for blog posting for free, or pay $1.99-$X on a nicer to super-advanced theme.
 
S

Snookerman

macrumors 6502
Jul 6, 2008
391
9
nekonari said:
I'd liken it to OS X's Stacks design, which pops up a list of files quite exactly like Tumblr apps new design:

Image

But I guess Path and this do have similarities.
Click to expand...

Stacks is probably my least favorite feature design of OS X. I don't understand the functional point of having the files at an angle and I don't like it aesthetically either.

I guess it might be helpful for left-handed people in the Tumblr app but I doubt that's why they did it.
 
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