Facebook launches 'Instagram Lite' for emerging markets
San Francisco, June 28: In a bid to add another billion users from emerging markets including India, Facebook-owned Instagram has quietly released a lighter version of its app called "Instagram Lite" for Android on Google Play App Store.
Although Facebook was yet to release an official statement, the appearance of 'Instagram Lite' on Google Play Store is a likely pilot run in a select countries to begin with.
There are millions of smartphone users in India who still have old variants with slow 2G Internet connectivity and "Instagram Lite" app can help them get in touch with friends and family.
"The 'Instagram Lite' app is small, allowing you to save space on your phone and download it quickly," read the app's description on Play Store.
"At just 573 kilobytes, 'Instagram Lite' is 1/55th the size of Instagram's 32MP main app. It lets you filter and post photos to the feed or Stories, watch Stories and browse the Explore page, but currently lacks the options to share videos or Direct message friends," TechCrunch reported on Thursday.
With this new version of the photo messaging app, users using older phones with less storage space or slower internet connections, would have access to Instagram without having to delete photos, apps or wait longer and pay more to download it.
The app would run on Android versions 5.0 and up.
"We are testing a new version of Instagram for Android that takes up less space on your device, uses less data and starts faster," an Instagram spokesperson told TechCrunch earlier.
With over a billion users, Instagram is a very popular app from the Facebook family.
Facebook launched "Facebook Lite" in 2015 which had 200 million users by the end of last year. Facebook "Messenger Lite" came in April this year.
Aiming to take on Google-owned YouTube, Instagram this month announced it would allow users to upload videos up to one hour in length, up from the previous one-minute limit.
"We launched IGTV (a button inside the Instagram home screen, as well as a standalone app) at an event featuring many of the Instagram creators who'll make it great," the company wrote in a blog post.
Not just celebrities, IGTV will let all users be a creator and let them upload vertical videos through Instagram's app or the web.
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AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi urges ‘enter and stay’ strike on Pak, slams BJP on terror, census delay
Hyderabad, May 1 (PTI): In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday said the Centre should take decisive action against Pakistan, suggesting that the response should go beyond cross-border strikes.
Speaking to reporters, the Hyderabad MP referred to a resolution passed by the Indian Parliament declaring that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is an integral part of India.
“If any action is taken this time, then it should be ‘ghar mein ghus ke baith jana’ (enter their house and stay). Earlier, it was said ‘ghar mein ghus ke maarenge’ (enter and kill), now it should be ‘enter and stay.’ That’s what should happen,” he said, responding to a question about media reports claiming that Pakistan soldiers are vacating border posts.
He added, however, that he was unaware of such reports.
Citing past terror attacks, including 26/11, Pulwama, Uri, Pathankot, and Reasi, Owaisi stressed that terrorism must be eradicated.
“All opposition parties are urging the government to end terrorism,” he said.
“You (BJP) are in power—you should put a stop to all this.”
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the armed forces have "complete operational freedom" to determine the mode, targets, and timing of India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
On April 22, terrorists opened fire in Baisaran—a popular tourist spot in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district—killing 26 people, mostly tourists from other states.
Owaisi also announced that the AIMIM will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections and claimed that the people of the Seemanchal region will “teach a lesson” to those who "stole" his party’s MLAs.
He said the party has already declared its candidate for the Bahadurganj constituency and that he will address public meetings in Bihar on May 3 and 4.
“We will fight strongly this time. You’ll see that our MLA candidates will be more successful than before. The people of Seemanchal will teach a lesson to those who stole our MLAs,” he said.
The AIMIM had seen moderate success in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, contesting 20 seats and winning five—all in Seemanchal, a region with a significant Muslim population.
However, in 2022, the party suffered a major setback when all but one of its MLAs switched to the RJD, the state's main opposition party.
Commenting on the Centre’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census, Owaisi said AIMIM had been demanding this since 2021.
He urged the BJP-led government to break the 50 per cent reservation ceiling and introduce a bill to that effect in the next monsoon session. “Opposition parties will support it,” he asserted.
Owaisi also said it is the BJP, the Prime Minister, and NDA allies who must answer when the census will actually begin, and whether the data will be made public before the 2029 Parliamentary elections.
