Instagram Lite could make its big comeback with new features and slightly larger file size, and support for Reels.
Instagram launched its Lite app back in 2018 before pulling it from the Play Store in spring of 2020. Today the company announced it will relaunch the app in 170 countries with new features, notably support for Instagram Reels.
Related | TikTok Will Now Warn You Before You Post Something ‘Inappropriate Or Unkind’
The new app will require only 2 megabytes. While that is more than the original Lite app (573 kilobytes) it is a lot smaller than the regular Instagram app’s 30 megabytes. As per the original launch, it will be Android only for now.
The bigger file size is largely justified with the new features that Instagram has incorporated in the new version of the Lite app. Now you will be bale to send direct messages, and record and post videos. It also supports Reels. It is not surprising to see Reels coming to the Lite App as Instagram is betting heavily on this new short-video format.
Perhaps also surprising, the app is notably missing a shopping tab. In a briefing, Instagram Lite product manager Nick Brown said the team has “no plans” to bring shopping to Instagram Lite, but that Reels had “a lot of engagement” in India, where, coincidentally, TikTok is banned. Despite the integration, users will not be able to create their own Reels from the app.
Instagram Lite will not offer AR face filters but other, less data-intensive tools, like stickers, GIFs, and text effect can be applied.
Instagram Lite will ship without ads but Brown explained that the team is “committed to offering the full suite of monetization tools.” He and the team want to “take the space and time — that everything we launched in Lite we can fully support and that it is just as good of an experience as it is in the regular Instagram.”
You might also like
More from Instagram
Instagram Introduces Search Ads Via Its Marketing API
Instagram Search Ads are now available to all advertisers via the Instagram marketing API. Just two months after it began to …
Instagram’s New Twitter Competitor Revealed
Instagram's rumored text-based Twitter competitor still does not have a name, but now we know what it might look like. The …
Instagram Now Lets Everyone Use GIFs In Comments
Instagram is now letting every user comment on posts and Reels with GIFs. I think we can all agree that if …
You Can Now Add Songs To Your Instagram Photo Carousels
Instagram says it is testing a new feature that lets users add songs to the photo carousels they share on …
Instagram Now Lets You Add Up To 5 ‘Links In Bio’
Instagram is rolling out a new feature for adding up to 5 'links in bio' - a feature doomed to …
Instagram Collaborative Collections Are The New Way To Save And Share Content With Your Friends
Instagram is introducing a new 'Save posts with friends' that lets you create a collaborative collection for you and your …
Meta Verified Service Goes Live In The US
Want to get the coveted blue verification checkmark on Facebook and Instagram? If you're in the US, now you can. …
Instagram Is Testing A ‘Top 3’ Sticker To Boost Engagement
According to reports, Instagram is testing a new Top 3 sticker for Stories, allowing users to highlight favorite accounts, places, …
Facebook And Instagram Start Selling Blue Checks With Meta Verified
Meta Verified will give you a blue check badge on both Facebook and Instagram, along with other benefits for $12 …
