Facebook launches Instagram Lite in Sub-Saharan Africa

Facebook on Friday announced the launch of Instagram Lite in Sub-Saharan Africa to address connectivity issues in the region.

The new lightweight version of the Instagram app for Android uses less data and works well across all network conditions, a statement revealed.

Facebook explained that the new version of Instagram Lite for Android is less than 2MB in size, making it fast to install and quick to load.

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Peter Shin, engineering manager for Instagram Lite, said the “Connectivity in the region can be unstable, slow and expensive, making it challenging for people to have a high-quality Instagram experience. Many people were already familiar with the concept of a Lite app after the successful roll-out of Facebook Lite some years ago,” Shin said.

“We started testing the new version of Instagram Lite when people across the continent started asking for a Lite app for Android. The feedback was very positive and we are excited to launch it across the continent today”.

Instagram Lite is similar to the core Instagram app experience, however, some features are not currently supported, such as Reels creation, Shopping, and IGTV.

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