Facebook Lite
Thursday, May 10, 2018
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Facebook Lite, Early this early morning, Facebook published a brand-new, slimmed down version of their app dubbed Facebook Lite to the Google Play Store. Focused on low-end gadgets in emerging markets where cellular data is a little slower, we need to admit, we were plenty thrilled at the prospect of a 2G-friendly version of the typically bloated Facebook app.
Soon after installation, our optimism was met with cold difficult reality-- this app was bit more than a wrapper for the mobile web view (ie, it's nearly similar to going to m.facebook.com). Okay, so there are some crucial differences. There's no videos (like, at all) and unlike opening Facebook in your phone's web browser, Facebook Lite will provide you with push alerts on your Android gadget, convenient if you're waiting for an important message and wish to stay up to date with friends without having to refresh the browser.
The trade off? Facebook Lite-- which is marketed as less than 1MB (252KB), but actually used up 1.16 MB after installation-- demands a fair quantity of authorizations from your Android gadget, much like the full fledged 114MB (after installation) regular variation of the app (just without the area data). Oh, did we mention it's slow?
Even on WiFi, the app is sluggish to load, sluggish to scroll, and slow to switch in between News Feed, your messages, and alerts. Even with a high-end Snapdragon 801 equipped Android device, the "app" straight up feels like molasses. But as we pointed out, you do get direct access to your messages without having to install Facebook Messenger, so there's that.
We think Facebook truly had something here and were really wishing for a quicker, lighter, less function heavy, Facebook app for those of who do not need all the frill of sticker label stores and so on. Sadly, Facebook Lite actually simply doesn't cut it.
Facebook Lite is currently available for all Android 2.2+ devices in Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, or Zimbabwe via the Play Store. Those living somewhere else who had actually still prefer to provide it a try, you can download it from us through the link below.
Download: Facebook Lite for Android
Facebook Lite
Soon after installation, our optimism was met with cold difficult reality-- this app was bit more than a wrapper for the mobile web view (ie, it's nearly similar to going to m.facebook.com). Okay, so there are some crucial differences. There's no videos (like, at all) and unlike opening Facebook in your phone's web browser, Facebook Lite will provide you with push alerts on your Android gadget, convenient if you're waiting for an important message and wish to stay up to date with friends without having to refresh the browser.
The trade off? Facebook Lite-- which is marketed as less than 1MB (252KB), but actually used up 1.16 MB after installation-- demands a fair quantity of authorizations from your Android gadget, much like the full fledged 114MB (after installation) regular variation of the app (just without the area data). Oh, did we mention it's slow?
Even on WiFi, the app is sluggish to load, sluggish to scroll, and slow to switch in between News Feed, your messages, and alerts. Even with a high-end Snapdragon 801 equipped Android device, the "app" straight up feels like molasses. But as we pointed out, you do get direct access to your messages without having to install Facebook Messenger, so there's that.
We think Facebook truly had something here and were really wishing for a quicker, lighter, less function heavy, Facebook app for those of who do not need all the frill of sticker label stores and so on. Sadly, Facebook Lite actually simply doesn't cut it.
Facebook Lite is currently available for all Android 2.2+ devices in Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, or Zimbabwe via the Play Store. Those living somewhere else who had actually still prefer to provide it a try, you can download it from us through the link below.
Download: Facebook Lite for Android