Facebook has recently launched a compact version of its famous photo-sharing app called ‘Instagram Lite’ in sub-Saharan Africa.
This lightweight version of the Instagram app is launched for Android with less use of data and works across all networks. The app is less than 2MB in size – considerably less than the full-size version, which was closer to 30 MB. It also has improved speed, performance, and responsiveness.
Commenting on the rationale for introducing the app to sub-Saharan Africa, engineering manager for Instagram Lite, Peter Shin, says “Connectivity in the region can be unstable, slow and expensive, making it challenging for people to have a high-quality Instagram experience. Many people were already familiar with the concept of a Lite app after the successful roll-out of Facebook Lite some years ago.
“We started testing the new version of Instagram Lite when people across the continent started asking for a Lite app for Android. The feedback was very positive and we are excited to launch it across the continent today.
“Our team aims to leave no one behind, so today we are very excited to bring Instagram Lite to people in over 170 countries, including the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region,” he adds.
Instagram Lite is similar to the core Instagram app experience, though some features are not currently supported, such as Reels creation, Shopping, and IGTV. Instagram Lite is likely to gain appeal to users in locations with limited bandwidth or high data costs, especially in the developing world.
People in more than 170 countries can be able to download the Instagram Lite on Google Play Store.
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