In yet another attempt at increasing its proliferation into developing and under-developing countries, Facebook has launched Facebook Lite. Essentially a barebones version of its main mobile app, Lite allows users to access the most basic utilities of the social network without burning through their data plan.
Without Wi-Fi hotspots and lack of access to broadband networks, the biggest problem facing Facebook’s users in these countries is the high data plans. Facebook Lite is the answer to that, designed to be used on 2G networks and in other places with sketchy mobile data reception.
The app, available for now only on Android, is tiny at just 1 MB, compared to almost 50 MB for the full blown version. We tried the app on our Android phones and found it to be noticeably faster on most counts. It accomplishes this by jettisoning data-intensive features such as videos, full-res images, and Nearby Friends in favour of a fast and resource-light interface. The News Feed itself isn’t as photo-heavy as the desktop version, and photo thumbnails are displayed at lower resolution until you click on them and opt to see the full image.
Facebook has been working on its lightweight app for more than a year under project manager Vijay Shankar. In January, his team began testing the app in Africa and Southeast Asia. Shankar says people responded to it immediately. “App reviews suggest people want it in their countries,” he says, referencing the Google Play app store, where Facebook Lite has more than four stars and 50,000 reviews.
“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,” he said. “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.”
Facebook Lite is now being rolled out in most Asian countries like India, Philippines, Nepal, and Bangladesh, with Latin American and Africa set to follow soon after.
