When the Timeline was released to replace the old Facebook profile design, there was enormous backlash from Facebook users. Now that people seem to be settling in with Timeline and giving positive feedback to the Timeline design, reports suggest that Facebook will be changing Timeline sometime soon. The original Timeline displayed posts and Milestones in two columns. Some users complained that this design forced them to look back and forth to see all the posts.
As an indication that Facebook had taken heed to user complaints, it started testing a new Timeline design late last year. This design displays all the posts and milestones in one column to the left and all the other elements like photos, Friends, etc. are displayed in one column on the right hand side. Apart from this – the cover photo, open graph activity, profile photo, tabs, and many other features on user profiles were tweaked. As we reported in January this year, this Timeline design was available to all New Zealand users and you can find exact details about this new Timeline in that post. Facebook refused to confirm if these changes would be moved to business pages too but it is highly likely that these changes will be rolled out to business pages.
Do we hear rumors of a new design?
Apparently, Facebook is testing out two new versions of the Timeline. According to reports in the Internet, some users now have all their posts in one column on the right side of their Timelines. Similarly – open graph activity, friends, photos, etc. are on the left column. Other than the interchanged placement of the columns, all other changes are exactly the same as the first test version of the Timeline. This test version of the Timeline does not have thumbnails pictures for “Photos”, “Friends”, etc. and the “Map” feature is under the “More” tab just like the previous test version.
These two test versions of the Timeline with the posts organized under one column addresses another major complaint from Facebook users. As posts are organized under one column, the older posts will not be reorganized as new posts are uploaded like it currently does now. There are no confirmed reports that this change will be rolled out to business pages too.
Facebook users must keep in mind that these are just test versions that a very small percentage of the Facebook users have been able to see. Facebook has not released a date when these changes will become permanent and when they will be rolled out to the entire user base. These changes may not even be made permanent and we may have to continue using the current Timeline design for a long time.