15 yo here. The UI is obtuse, sure, but it is very nice when you get used to it. The learning curve is a valid argument, but I'm hesitant to say there should be change.
Making Snapchat easy to use by parents would be a disaster for them, people are not engaging with content and posting to Facebook because their grandmother uses it and would see it.
I think that a lot of the weird design choices in Snapchat are intentional and very well thought out.
I have no problem at all with Snapchat's UI and can't understand why "old" people complain about it so much. did I know how to do everything at first? no, but it was easy, just swipe left/right/up/down and tap a few places. just because it doesn't follow the conventional ui/ux paradigm doesn't make it confusing or hard, just different (and these days, not that different, since a lot of other apps are copying snap's gestures)
the issue I do have with snapchat is that I'd like to see more interesting snaps and people to follow (who are not my friends) and the app doesn't help me with that. I'm basically limited to a few people who don't snap that much and I hardly use the chat function. I think this is where instagram one ups snapchat (the fact that ig's main content isn't ephemeral kinda helps).
I'm waiting to see what Snap comes up with (they have to come up with something, otherwise they'll be doomed).
I agree completely, Snapchat is a horrendously designed app, especially when compared to an extremely intuitive one like Instagram. It's a miracle youngsters are fine with the learning curve since kids are getting less patient when it comes to learning nowadays. I guess the stories and filters were worth the trouble? Who knows.
In general, I think that Snap is one of the luckiest unicorns out there. Also, the fact that they have yet to come up with a new product -- other than those silly glasses -- does not help their case much.
You have swipable 3 tabs, messages, camera and stories. Is that so complicated?
How do you get to "settings?" I just opened the app. I see the snapchat logo in the top left, a... search bar? For searching what? Who knows. There's what's probably the flash icon, probably a switch camera icon. Then there's a messages bubble, and a... bubble with three dots... Also there's a bubble right underneath the biggest bubble (camera take picture button I assume) with what looks like... a picture? God knows what that does. I click it. It's memories. Great, not sure why i'd need to see that but fine.
Back, messages bubble. Messages, cool.
Back, three dot bubble. Stories. Riiiight. Still no settings. "My story" has a settings icon but that's something else.
Back, ghost button. Holy shit a settings icon. Got it!