14 DAY TRIAL // Facebook has been adding a lot of new features and functionality lately, sometimes making big changes to the site. New features like the upgraded search engine and the simplified privacy options made a significant impact on the way most users interacted with the site. Now though, Facebook made some design changes and tweaks that, while they don't really affect the functionality, are sometimes just as important. One of the first things users will notice is the extended blue header bar and the fact that there are no more rounded corners.
The changes have been quietly introduced and, though subtle, Facebook heavy users will find them hard to miss. One of the tweaks was implemented for the sake of consistency across various features on the site. The feedback buttons on ads have changed from “Thumbs up” and “Thumbs down” to “Like” and “X,” which is in line with similar features on the social network.
The change that most people will notice at first is the new header bar, which now extends across the screen. The position of some of the navigational and other items in the bar has also been slightly adjusted because of the change. The new header bar paved the way for all of the round corners on various design elements to be dropped after proving less than popular with the users and with the design team. While the effects may seem inconsequential the decision was up for much debate internally.
“Since we introduced rounded corners to Facebook, their consistent use has been spotty at best. The corner radii vary, and it sometimes feels arbitrary which corners are rounded and which are not. Additionally, they add an extra layer of complexity to the code (note: IE, please add support for border-radius),” the design team notes. “As part of the effort to simplify our visual style, the design team recently decided to go back to our square corner roots. In doing so, we hope to champion cleanliness and the razor cut look that Facebook is known for.”