It’s easy to get focused on the latest and greatest, but the truth is, a large majority of the population is not rushing out to buy the latest Android or Apple iPhone. In fact, many of them are probably still getting by with mid-range or low-end devices to communicate. Even if a user has a newer phone, depending on their location in the world, weak or unreliable network connectivity may hinder their communication. You need an accessible app if you want to reach the widest range of users, so have you considered a lite app?
What Are Lite Apps?
Functionality without the clutter. Lite apps package their main features into smaller apps that take less time to download and don’t run through data. For a company, that means your light app could result in higher conversion and lower drop rates.
For most businesses, lite apps typically fulfill one of two functions, either a pared-back version of a large app or a basic version of a more complex paid app. If you run a data-rich app, you can provide users with a lite version, offering them the main features of the full app, without any of the bells and whistles. For businesses that offer paid apps, a lite version gives users a taste of the full app while still reserving the best options and capabilities for the paid version.
What are lite apps?
Lite apps are pared-down versions of a mobile application. The lite version may have limited functionality and a stripped-down interface. Lite apps use less memory and data and are ideal for users in areas with poor network connectivity.
Lite apps are not a new phenomenon; in fact, they are a growing piece of the mobile app pie, which is precisely why big companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube already offer lite versions of their apps in various countries.
Lite Apps are Gaining Popularity
Want to download the Facebook app on your Android device? That will be 60MB, please. Oh, you’d also like the Messenger app? That’s another 200MB data. Too rich for your phone? That’s exactly where Lite app versions come into play. As opposed to the data-rich standard version of the app, Facebook Lite uses a mere 2MB of storage. There are differences, the Messenger Lite App drops the ability to make video calls, and users will notice quite a few cosmetic changes with the Facebook Lite Version. But these changes equal a clean and fast experience for users not on LTE.
Facebook Lite and Messenger Lite aren’t the only popular lite social media apps; Instagram Lite launched not too long ago. Users are still able to share photos and videos on their feed but lose the ability to send private messages, and they also don’t have use of the IGTV function. Changes that might be worth it to reduce the size of an app from 140 MB down to under 600 KB. YouTube is the most used video streaming service, and with its lite app, YouTube Go, users get options like video downloading and offline viewing.
It is important to note that not all lite apps are available on all services or in every country. Facebook Lite is only currently available for Android devices, and YouTube Go is only available in about 130 countries.
Don’t miss out on the popularity of lite apps. At Copper Mobile, we can define, design, develop, dry-run, and deliver a lite app for your business.
