Facebook on Monday launched a new version of its app for Android phones in India.
Aimed at emerging markets, Facebook Lite is a lighter version that has been optimised for slower data connections.
“There are a large number of users, who are on 2G, and one of the feedbacks we have received is that the app does not load fast on some devices. This lighter version has been developed so that the app works well across all network conditions and on all types of phones,” said Product Manager at Facebook Lite Vijay Shankar.
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He said the two important aspects of the new app were its small size (430 KB) and low data usage.
“We noticed that many people who are on low-end phones are forced to delete some apps so that they can keep the Facebook app. With this lighter version, they won’t have to do that. Also, this is quick to install and load,” he said. Many functions have been tweaked so that users get the same experience as the original app but with lower data usage, he said.
The lighter version supports all core functions of the social network, such as news feed, status updates, photos, messenger, notifications, and others. However, it does not support videos and there is no in-built browser.
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Mr. Shankar said though the new app was primarily aimed at low-end phone users, it would come handy for high-end phone users as well, especially when they are on poor connections; for example, while travelling.