Source: Instagram
Instagram pulled its smaller Lite app in the spring of 2020 but now has decided to resurrect it. The app is getting new features and a larger file size to accommodate them. It has rolled out on Android in 170, with a global rollout in the works. There is no plan for an iOS version at the moment. Instagram Lite will only need two megabytes to install compared to the regular Instagram app's 30MB. The original app only needed 573 kilobytes, so it's a significant increase.
But this bigger size allows users to send direct messages and record and post videos, too. The Reels tab will also take the place of the shopping tab in areas where Reels is available. However, you won't be able to make Reels on the Lite app. Shopping won't come to Instagram Lite. According to its product manager Nick Brown, Reels received "a lot of engagement" in India, which is why it opted to keep this tab. With TikTok banned in India, it makes sense for Instagram to double down on this feature.
Instagram Lite won't also support the augmented reality face filters on stories, but you can use features like stickers, GIFs, and text.
According to The Verge, there aren't ads at the moment. But Brown told the publication the team is "committed to offering the full suite of monetization tools." His team's target is to offer "as good of an experience" on Lite as it is on the regular Instagram app.
Source: Facebook