Facebook Debuts 2MB Instagram Lite In 170 Countries, With Core Features Intact
Image via Shutterstock
Data-heavy Instagram has been given a bite-sized remake. This week, parent company Facebook announced that it is officially launching Instagram Lite, an app that requires only 2MB instead of the usual 30MB. The Instagram mini-me is rolling out in 170 countries, including the United States, though an emphasis has been placed on developing countries.
If its name sounds familiar to you, it’s because Instagram Lite was first released in 2018 but was removed from the Play Store in 2019. Similar to the previous version, the new Instagram Lite serves to be a solution for areas with slower download speeds, as well as comes under Facebook’s strategy to reach markets with lower adoption rates, like emerging countries.
It’s worth noting that this version is considerably bulkier than the original Instagram Lite, which only took up 573KB. In the new Instagram Lite, users won’t just get to browse content or post photos and videos, but also view and create Stories, add stickers, and check out Reels, IGTV videos, and the Explore tab.
A few trimmings had to be made to downsize the 30MB app into just 2GB, such as the exclusion of Shopping, the ability to create Reels, and end-to-end encryption. Dark mode is also missing, but Instagram intends to bring it to the Lite app later on.
For now, users can enjoy the early version of the app ad-free. According to TechCrunch, advertising will be added “in future updates.”
Instagram Lite is currently available for Android users on the Google Play Store. Facebook doesn’t have plans to extend this offering to iOS devices yet.
Below is a preview of the Instagram Lite app, which looks pretty similar to the fleshed-out version.
Click to view enlarged version
Click to view enlarged version. Image via Facebook
[via TechCrunch, images via various sources]
Also check out these recent news
