Instagram recently began rolling out video calling in its app, but that's not the only big Instagram news that we're getting this week.
Instagram Lite is a new Android app that's appeared in the Google Play Store. The app is just 537kb in size, considerably smaller than the main Instagram app, which lets you download it more quickly and save more space on your phone.
While Instagram hasn't officially announced this new app, the company did confirm to TechCrunch that Instagram Lite began testing in Mexico this week. "We are testing a new version of Instagram for Android that takes up less space on your device, uses less data, and starts faster," Instagram explained. The app is expected to become available in more countries and gain messaging and support for posting videos later this year.
Right now, Instagram Lite's feature set is small, just like its size. The app will let you post photos and edit them with filters, share disappearing photos to your Story, and watch Stories from other users. You can also find Stories, photos, and videos in the Explore feed.
Facebook has previously launched the Facebook Lite and Messenger Lite apps, so it's no surprise to see Instagram Lite, too. (For those unaware, Facebook owns Instagram.) Like those other Lite apps, Instagram Lite is aimed at consumers that have limited data plans on slower networks as well as phones with smaller amounts of built-in storage. Instagram Lite could be appealing to many people because of its small size and simplified feature set, though, so hopefully the app will become available in many more countries soon.
