Highlights
- Instagram has started testing Instagram Lite in India for low memory phones.
- The app is less than 2MB in size and aims to deliver an Instagram experience that remains fast and reliable for more people.
- Instagram has also announced the second edition of Born on Instagram to incorporate the new features on Instagram, especially Reels.
Instagram in the first 'Facebook Fuel For India' virtual event announced that it will test Instagram Lite after observing barriers like compromised internet experience, as a result of low memory phones and heavy-sized apps. The app is less than 2MB in size and aims to deliver an Instagram experience that remains fast and reliable for more people.
Instagram noted that it has showcased a slew of new features in the past few months that have either debuted in India or India has been one of the first countries to test it. This includes Reels, the Reels tab, and Live Rooms. India is also a primarily test country for Instagram Lite. The Instagram Lite app is created to bring the core Instagram experience to people who do not have an Instagram experience today.
Instagram Lite app is only made for Android as of now and the lite version has improved speed, performance, and responsiveness, according to the platform. The experience is more or less similar to the core Instagram app experience. However, some features are not currently supported on Instagram Lite, such as Reels, Shopping and IGTV. The app will be available in Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.
Instagram further announced a second edition of the 'Born on Instagram' creator program to equip the next generation of content creators with best practices to use the platform and enable them with collaboration and mentorship opportunities.
Born on Instagram was announced in November 2019 to discover and showcase content creators. The second edition has been attuned to incorporate the new features on Instagram, especially Reels.
The second edition will go on for 6 months and will continue to offer masterclasses from internal and external experts, as well as collaboration and mentorship opportunities. To register for the program users can visit https://boireels.splashthat.com/
Vishal Shah, VP of Product, Instagram at Facebook, said, "India is such an important country for us and has been a testing ground for innovation, thanks to the natural creativity and entrepreneurial spirit we see here. With the test of Instagram Lite and the next edition of Born on Instagram, we're aiming to democratize expression and creativity for a greater number of people in India. We're also hoping to gain valuable insights before a global rollout of Instagram Lite."