Mobile apps have become so important in our daily lives. That is how many industries have penetrated the market – by providing access to their services through mobile applications. But, not all users have access to mobile apps due to the unstable internet connection, large app sizes, and other limiting factors.
As you would expect, other alternatives had to be created to reach these limited customers by developing something that suits them at a good value. The lite version of mobile applications is that alternative as it comes with lesser RAM, smaller app size, and uses less stable internet connections. Yes, even as low as 2G.
Although it is aimed at lesser RAM and smaller device sizes, lots of these lite versions are fantastic. So much so that some of them are used by people who do not have these constraints and are more popular than the main apps. This article details some of the best lite version apps out there:
- What are Lightweight Applications and their Advantages?
- How are the Data and Battery Usages?
- Facebook Lite
- YouTube Go
- Skype Lite
- Opera Mini
- Spotify Lite
- Uber Lite
- Are these Better or Worse?
What Are The Lightweight Applications And Their Advantages?
Lightweight versions of apps are limited featured apps designed for users who cannot fully access the normal or main apps. They are called by several names, including “lite,” “go,” and “mini.” They are called lightweight mainly because they work well with phones with low memory, low space, and slow internet connection.
Usually, normal apps’ size falls between the range of 40 – 50 MB, but these versions can go as low as 1 – 2 MB. Also, the internet connection used by many and popular is 4 GB, although the 3GB is still used by some. Still, not everyone has access to these networks, and they have to joggle between 2 GB and 3 GB.
Another thing about the lightweight version is the low RAM it uses on mobile devices. This is because some features of many mobile apps still run in the background even when the app is not used.
Lightweight versions solve all these problems by working smoothly with low connections, less RAM, and small storage devices.
What Are The Benefits?
For these versions to be lightweight, they would have lesser features, as explained earlier. But does that then make the apps lose core contents and features needed by users? Not really, as most lightweight versions still contain the core functionalities and features of the app. What are the differences, then?
App Speed: Because they are generally lighter in every sense, they tend to operate faster. Kind of an easy logic if you think of it. Lite versions, for instance, are play-on-words for the app’s “lightweight” and also because they have “light” speed. You may not know this, but with more content, high-resolution images, videos, ads, features, and so on, the speed of the apps reduces.
Have you been on a website where it takes almost forever to load? This is because of the contents and the high-quality images and videos the website contains. That applies to mobile applications as well. The light versions have fewer contents, lower-quality images, and videos, leading to the greater performance and speed of the app.
How Are The Data And Battery Usages?
With fewer features and functionalities, the app’s usage becomes minimal, which results in less battery consumption. Normal apps are well known to consume a lot of battery power. Look at popular apps such as Facebook and Instagram, for example. They involve several backend processes that are active all the time, even when the app is not in use.
Lightweight applications are developed to reduce this high-end usage. They are minimalistic in function and do not include these “always active” features. They make the devices they are used on last longer before the next inevitable charge.
Most normal or standardized apps use a lot of data. That is not a bad thing as they contain lots of features designed for users. But, at the same time, more and more features lead to more data usage.
Not the mention the already high data usage these normal apps would use to just run basic processes. Lightweight apps would not require that much data as features and functionalities are reduced.
What Are The Most Popular Lightweight Apps?
The most popular lightweight apps are Facebook Lite, YouTube Go, Skype Lite, Opera Mini, Spotify Lite, and Uber Lite. In the next section of this article, we will look at each of these apps in detail.
We will specifically focus on how you can download the application, what it costs, and the main benefit of the app in saving space on your mobile device.
Facebook Lite
Facebook remains a free popular messaging and connection app all over the world. As it consumes a huge memory and drains a lot of battery, the Facebook Lite limits some features.
Most basic features are still available, but it does have less of a user interface. But, you can still connect with friends, accept friend requests, save photos, and more.
The lite version is available for download on the Google Play Store for Android devices.
Benefits Of The Facebook Lite App
You can access the messenger section without having to download the messenger app separately. The fewer features of the app make it run smoothly and consume less memory.
The total space for the Facebook app is just 1.5 MB! Regular Facebook takes 200% more space! With this alone, space conservation is a great feat achieved by Facebook Lite.
You can install and use the Facebook Lite app for free.
YouTube Go
The lightweight version of YouTube is called YouTube Go. This large Google video platform offers lesser but effective features.
You get the option of downloading a lesser version of videos into your device. This helps in two ways – preserving your device space and giving you control over your data usage as well.
Benefits Of YouTube Go And Download Options
YouTube GO is available for Android devices on the Google Play Store. You can also save videos on the app for watch later as the regular YouTube app.
You can share a video with friends through the app. The limited features come from some accessibility features and user interface; otherwise, it is almost the same.
You can download and use the application for free.
Skype Lite
Microsoft developed a lightweight version for their popular voice, video call, and messaging app, Skype. It consumes only 21 MB of mobile storage, and the features are almost identical to the regular Skype app.
Features such as voice call, video call, and messaging. All remain the same and are enjoyed by a large audience. For it to use much lesser device storage, some features are limited.
Download Option For Skype Lite
Even though it is not so evident, with lesser storage comes lesser features and contents alike. Like YouTube, it is available for download on the Google Play Store for Android devices alone.
You can download Skype Lite for free on your mobile phone.
Opera Mini
Opera mini is a popular internet browser for mobile devices. Internet browsers consume up to 70% of the device’s RAM, high cache spaces from all user's searches, and the high memory form updates and the original sizes.
Opera also has its fair share of high consumption in these areas, and the reason behind the Opera mini. Opera mini is built with lesser tools and consumption resources, saving data and memory used in the process.
Cost Of Opera Mini And Download Option
The data save mode has become popular, making it a well-used internet browser for most users. The app is available for download on the Google Play Store as well.
You can download Opera Mini for free from the Play Store.
Spotify Lite
You would not think music as popular as it has become would be left out, would you? The popular music streaming service, Spotify, delighted users by creating a lightweight version of the app too. Going from 100 MB to 10 MB is awesome, is it not?
The limitations include the ability to download songs offline. While it has far less storage space and protects the storage by limiting the offline download, data consumption comes to pay the price. Also, a playlist can be played in shuffle mode.
Downloading Spotify Lite
The app is available on the Google Play store for download. The application can be used for free, but there is the option of a Premium account.
Uber Lite
When you compare 5 MB to 200 MB device size, you would understand how great your device space is preserved while still enjoying the benefits of an app. The popular car hauling service was also not left out in this innovation.
Although maps are optional and not shown by default in this lite version, a progress bar to track your journey is indicated instead. It is available for download on the Google Play Store.
The Limitation Of The Uber Lite App
The limitation in the use of maps makes the app works faster. Also, the user interface and features reduction result in a smaller app size and faster usage. And yeah, less data usage as well.
You can download and use the application for free.
Are These Better Or Worse?
Considering the differences and the benefits of lightweight apps to normal standardized applications, could the limited versions be better? Or, as expected, since they have so many reduced features and functionalities, they do not stand a chance when compared to their standard versions.
It depends on how you want to look at it, actually. Truly they do not have up to the standard features as the normal apps. And they are limited in their content, high quality, and other features. Regardless, they are not limited to the extent that they cannot stand alone and function properly.
Some lightweight apps are so popular and enjoyed by many users that they are compared to their standard version. Others are so used that some users consider them the standard version. An example is Opera Mini, which millions of people use and have better ratings than the Opera browser itself.
Conclusion
Although limited, lightweight apps have become so useful that it is almost important to consider building an app. To invade a wider market of users with lesser devices, creating what works for them came about.
Has the limitations of the lightweight apps overshadow the importance of these apps, or has their light speed and low memory and data make them so bearable that even high-end users choose them? That would be left for you to decide. This article delighted us about these limited apps and talked about some of them.
Last updated on December 28th, 2022 at 07:08 pm
