Facebook to relaunch Instagram Lite in over 170 countries

Facebook has recently announced to relaunch the “lite” version of Instagram in over 170 countries, enabling people with poor internet access to the social media platform.

According to Facebook, the new Instagram Lite for Android is designed to provide people living in rural and remote communities with a high-quality Instagram experience with minimal data. As the lighter version of Instagram, the app will be available for Android phones and requires only 2MB – almost 15 times smaller than the full-size Instagram app, which is close to 30MB. It runs even on slower 2G networks, allowing users in parts of India, Africa, Asia, and Latin America with older internet infrastructure to access the service.

“Our teams build these lightweight versions of our apps for people with low connectivity or limited data plans because our basic premise is to leave no one behind,” said Tzach Hadar, Director of Product Management at Facebook Tel Aviv, one of the largest strategic engineering hubs for Facebook worldwide. “We wanted the Instagram experience to remain fast, high-quality, and reliable, irrespective of the device, platform, and network people are on.”

The app allows users to send direct messages, as well as record and post videos. Facebook mentioned that the team removed much of the ornate, data-rich animation, such as cube transitions and the AR filters, to keep performance reliable. However, they kept features with fewer data, such as GIFs and stickers. The platform also got rid of certain icons that do not make sense to new digital users.

Instagram Lite will be accessible in more than 170 countries, and it is also expected to roll out globally soon.