Not everyone has the latest smartphone, and even those of us who sometimes do not have more space, or prefer to use fewer resource applications when possible. This is where Lite variants of heavy and inflated applications come in, like Instagram Lite. Facebook has long tested the 2MB-sized app in select markets, and now it has finally officially launched it in 170 countries around the world.
If Instagram Lite seems familiar to you, it’s because the app has been floating around for some time. Facebook only launched Instagram Lite in Mexico in 2018, only to discontinue the app in May 2020 with the goal of rewriting it from scratch. A new, visually identical version will appear in September 2020 for select markets, and Instagram now seems to be pleased with the experience of launching it more widely.
In his announcement, Instagram shared that he was working with an international team from New York and Tel Aviv to create the revamped app. As the team was unable to go to the local population to test and refine due to the pandemic, the company instead distributed older, weaker phones to its team and simulated the dots and weak connections to find out how the experience could be improved. . In the process, the app also got a dark mode while deliberately never receiving any more complicated, data-intensive features like AR filters, in-app animations and transitions. However, Lite users can still enjoy GIFs and stickers.
Facebook did not specify which 170 countries will receive the redesigned app, but we assume the company focused on countries with lower internet speeds and more rural areas. We can confirm that Instagram Lite is not yet available in countries like the US, UK and Germany. Either way, Instagram wants to expand the experience ‘soon’ worldwide, and you can always just download it from APK Mirror to bypass regional restrictions.
