Amritsar, NFA Post: Facebook has announced that it has revamped Instagram Lite app that will enable users in low connectivity regions to utilise most of the features of the photo and video sharing social networking service.
The lighter version of the Instagram app was first introduced in Mexico in 2018, and later was launched in more markets including Kenya, Peru, and the Philippines.
In India, the app had made a debut in December 2020, and now the company has launched the app in 170 countries across the globe.
“Starting today, people in more than 170 countries will be able to download Instagram Lite in the Google Play Store to have a high-quality Instagram experience, no matter what network or device they’re on. We will be rolling out the app globally soon,” Facebook wrote in a blog post.
The slimmed-down version requires only 2 MB to download on Android, as against 30 MB for the full-size version of the app, while includes all the key features, minus some of the more advanced tools like AR filters.
“Slightly more than 63% of the world’s population is online, as opposed to nearly 90% in North America. And many of the regions that are connected do not possess the most up-to-date mobile devices, robust internet networks, or affordable data plans needed for swift delivery of the data-rich videos and images found on Instagram. For instance, only around 50% of households in India have access to the internet,” Facebook said.
It added that the revamped lighter version is “designed to provide people living in remote areas with a high-quality Instagram experience using minimal data.”
The updated app even supports Reels, a feature that lets users record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio.
Facebook has said that it plans to make Instagram Lite app available in all regions soon.
