LinkedIn, the social media network for professionals, has launched its Lite app for Android users in India, a company statement said.
Developed by the firm’s research and development team at Bangalore, the new app is first being rolled out in India, where 97% of the smartphone market uses the Android operating system. LinkedIn will shortly release the mobile web version and Android app in over countries, the press note added.
The app size is only 1MB and reduces data usage by 80%. It also offers all key features like news feed, jobs, profile, network, messaging, notifications, and search, the statement said.
The aim of launching LinkedIn Lite is to provide easy access to mobile Internet users in areas where Internet connectivity is patchy. The app also allows faster access on low-end smartphones.
“Besides providing a fast, data-light solution for professionals in slow network areas, we hope the LinkedIn Lite app will democratise access to economic opportunity. Regardless of their device or location, we hope to level the playing field for all LinkedIn members,†Akshay Kothari, LinkedIn’s country manager for India said in the statement.
In September 2016, Jeff Weiner, chief executive at LinkedIn, launched the firm’s India-first initiative called ‘Placements,’ aimed at helping students at colleges and universities across India to find jobs. Students can log on to the Placements platform and take an online assessment, which gives them direct access to thousands of openings in 35 top companies in India. LinkedIn tied up with Bengaluru-based startups Aspiring Minds and HackerRank, and Gurgaon-based CoCubes and Wheebox to conduct the online assessments.
Other firms that also launched a light version of their apps include social giant Facebook, which two years ago released a lighter version of its core app – Facebook Lite. In November 2016, the social networking company had added a jobs tab on its platform in move to take on LinkedIn.
Tech giant Microsoft’s video conferencing service Skype launched its version of the Lite app last month exclusively in India. It comes integrated with Aadhaar verification. The Skype Lite app is 13MB and operates on the Android OS and on low-end smartphones.
Besides tech giants, startups too have released light versions of their apps. Homegrown digital wallet firm MobiKwik had launched a data-light version of its mobile application – MobiKwik Lite – in November last year.