by Team AllYourVideogames | Aug 17, 2022 | Instagram |
Have you ever had to deal with the problem of having little space available on your phone? To prevent this from happening, it's always a good idea to have lightweight apps or lighter versions of your most used apps, such as Instagram Lite.
This version of the social network takes up only 2MB of memory on your device.
Instagram Lite was developed and thought for simpler devices, which have little storage space and lower processing speed.
Launched in the first half of 2022, the app, like Facebook Lite, for example, is more limited, but nothing too drastic.
However, we need to point out that Instagram Lite is only available for Android devices at the moment. That is, users of devices with iOS or Windows Phone system will not be able to download.
You Android user can download the app from the Google Play Store.
Nicholas Brown, Instagram's global product manager, confirmed that Instagram Lite has no plans to be developed for Apple devices.
According to him, the development criteria, such as target audience and others, do not apply to devices with iOS systems.
Thus, we have separated the main points you should know about Instagram Lite to decide whether or not it is worth using this “lighter version” of the social network.
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For whom and how was Instagram Lite thought?
The main objective of this version of the application is to provide access to the social network for all users in the world, regardless of the device or platform of use. In addition to people who have slow internet connections and expensive or limited data packages.
According to information from Instagram itself, which you can check the translated version on Canaltech, a technology similar to that of Facebook Lite was used to make the application as small as possible.
Briefly explained, a large part of the code ends up being run by Instagram's own servers, and this requires less from users' cell phones.
The main target audience of Instagram Lite, according to company representatives, are users from emerging countries, such as our country. After some surveys, they found that these users need some specifics to enjoy Instagram with full capacity.
Among these specificities are: fragmentation of outdated devices and models, that is, people tend to buy devices with outdated technologies; broadband and network types, most users depend on 2G or 3G connection, not having high speed internet.
In addition to these, we also have the data plans that are often limited and user behavior, with short descriptions in the actions of the app. With these clues, Facebook found that Instagram activity has increased.
Instagram Lite ends up solving all these limitations.
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What features were left out and what are the main differences?
Due to its recent release, and also to keep memory and space consumption low, some functions are unavailable in Instagram Lite.
Among the main ones, we have: the possibility of performing live broadcasts, creating Reels and IGTV, and Instagram Shopping.
In addition, some other functions were limited, such as IGTV support, which only allows previewing videos.
However, Instagram itself has already commented that these features may end up becoming available or being expanded over time.
Stories also have limitations, and some sticks are not available to users. In addition, it is possible to use only normal Stories, the “Hands Free” tool and Boomerang. That is, Stories are considerably more limited on Instagram Lite.
The direct tool also has its limitations, and at first it is possible to send only written messages. That is, audios and voice calls are not available.
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How are the commercials and ads?
In addition to Instagram Shopping, as mentioned above, the ad options and tools that involve business accounts are not available in Instagram Lite.
In addition, business accounts are also now shown only as personal accounts to users.
According to the company, there is still no forecast of when commercial features will be introduced into the lite version application.
However, they have confirmed that they are working on these unavailable features at this time so that they are released as soon as possible.
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Is it worth using Instagram Lite?
But after all, is Instagram Lite worth it or not? That will depend. If you fit the target audience we described above, then yes, Instagram Lite is a great tool that will serve you perfectly for personal use on social media.
With it, the user looking for something simpler will be able to interact with other people, tag and send messages to friends and much more through the tool. It provides them with a complete experience that is very close to the normal basic functions of Instagram.
But if you use the platform as a work tool and need more features, then Instagram Lite is not the right tool for you, as most of the functions necessary for what you are looking for are not available in this version.
However, many people have started using Instagram due to the removal of limitations with this new version, and other users will migrate to it.
Therefore, as a content creator, your audience may end up growing and you may need to rethink your content for these users.
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