Instagram Lite Makes Comeback in India, New Content Programme Launched With Focus on Reels

Instagram Lite app is being tested by Facebook in India, revealed Vishal Shah, VP of Product, Instagram, at the Facebook Fuel for India virtual event on Wednesday. The new app comes in less than 2MB of size. Facebook initially tested the Instagram Lite app in the country back in June 2018. That app, however, went offline in May this year and was silently reintroduced in September. In addition to the testing of the new Instagram Lite app, the photo- and video-sharing platform brought the second version of its ‘Born on Instagram' programme that is aimed to help creators grow their social presence.

The new Instagram Lite, made specifically for Android devices, is designed to offer the core Instagram experience, sans some features including Reels, Shopping, and IGTV. It will be available in several Indian languages – Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.

“Today, we're announcing the test of IG Lite in India,” said Shah during his keynote at the Facebook Fuel for India event. “It was built to provide access to high-quality Instagram experience to our users in India, irrespective of the device, platform, and the network that they are on.”

Instagram conducted a research in the country that resulted in a “compromised Internet experience, as a result of low-memory phones and heavy-sized apps”. The company said that the research set the context for testing the new lightweight app in the country.

Although Instagram tested a similar experience through the original Instagram Lite app in 2018, the new version is claimed to deliver improved speed, performance, and responsiveness. It got listed on Google Play for download in September, as reported by Android Police.

With the new Instagram Lite app in place, Facebook now has “lite” versions of its regular app as well as Messenger and Instagram.

Alongside the new app, Instagram brought the ‘Born on Instagram 2.0' creator programme to the country. It is designed as the next version of the initiative that was launched in November 2019 to help creators grow and showcase their photos and videos to the public.

The new version of ‘Born on Instagram' programme is aimed to incorporate features including Reels. It will go on for a period of six months and will continue to offer masterclasses from internal and external experts. The programme will also allow creators to avail collaboration and mentorship opportunities.

Interested creators can sign up for the ‘Born on Instagram 2.0' programme from the official portal.

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