On August 9, Getty Images officially launched a customer preview of the new gettyimages.com via an email to its registered customers. The announcement invited customers to begin using the new site, which will replace the existing site in a few weeks. The Web site upgrade has been much publicized yet repeatedly delayed. Industry insiders are speculating that such delays are the reason for Getty Images' replacing its highest-ranking technology officer Linda Ranz with iStock founder Bruce Livingstone.