Instagram has extended its global domination with a new lightweight app for cheaper, less powerful phones called “Instagram Lite”. The company released the new version on Google Play recently which takes up just 573 Kilobytes of storage space, compared to the 30 Megabytes the regular Instagram app consumes.
An Instagram spokesperson told variety.com that the Facebook-owned app tested the new app in Mexico last week, with plans to bring it to additional countries later this year. “We are testing a new version of Instagram for Android that takes up less space on your device, uses less data, and starts faster,” the spokesperson said via email.
Instagram Lite supports many of the same features as the regular Instagram app, including access to the Instagram feed, stories, filters and access to Instagram’s explore tab. Messaging functionality will be added soon, according to the app listing. Notably absent from the list of features is IGTV, Instagram’s new long-form video service.
This is not the first time Facebook will be launching a Lite app to reach users in markets with less powerful phones and slower broadband connections. In June of 2015, Facebook launched a dedicated Facebook Lite app for emerging markets. Nine months later, that app had already over 100 million monthly active users.
The Good Side of Instagram Lite
- Works On Slow Internet Connections: with the new Instagram Lite focussing primarily on emerging economies, subscribers can make use of the app even with slower internet connection (less than average internet speeds) connections. This implies that the application will consume lesser data when being used.
- It Occupies Low Space On Your Smartphones: The very Lite version of Instagram does not require you to delete important data or even photos as it just occupies 573 KB of internal storage.
- It Works On Old Androids: For those who are still using older Google Android versions i.e not below Android 5.0, Instagram Lite can still function.
- User Can Post Photos and Edit them with Filters.
- Watching Stories From The People You Follow is Also Available On The New App
The Other Side Of Instagram Lite
- It Doesn’t Support List Of IGTV Features
- Messaging Functionality Not Included But It Will Be Added Soon