Instagram Lite arrives in SA – Here are the details

Instagram has launched the Lite version of its app for Android in South Africa after a short delay.

The app was relaunched in early March and was rolled out to 170 countries globally.

After confirming that South Africa was part of the planned rollout, the app is now officially available in South Africa.

You can now download Instagram Lite from the Google Play Store.

There company has not released a lite version of the app for iOS.

What makes this Instagram app ‘Lite’?

Instagram originally launched its Lite app in 2018 but pulled it from storefronts early last year.

Developed by a team based in Tel-Aviv and tested in markets such as India, Instagram Lite is only 2MB in comparison to the original app’s 30MB.

The app targets users who have limited device storage or who have to pay for expensive data in their country.

To shave off the megabytes, the app does not feature ads or live streaming. It also does not feature the shopping tab and users cannot create Reels.

Ads and other monetization features will likely be introduced at a later date.

However, the app does feature picture and video posts, Direct Messaging, Stories, and post customization options such as stickers and GIFS.

You can also still view Reels posted by accounts, but they do not have a dedicated tab or icon — they are marked with the same icon as regular videos.

Instagram isn’t the first company to offer a lightweight version of its app. Companies such as Facebook, Spotify, and TikTok all offer Lite versions of their apps.

Feature image: Instagram

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