Uber Lite app is unveiled as a lightweight alternative that occupies just 5MB
Unlike China, where Uber was forced to sell off its business, India is actually one of the ride-sharing brand’s biggest markets and, if the company’s latest move is anything to go by, it clearly wants to keep it this way.
In light of the popularity of low-end Android smartphones in the Indian market, it appears the ride-sharing service is fully aware of the limitations these devices offer, hence the introduction of a new app called Uber Lite. Unlike the regular app which weighs in at over 180MB, the Lite version occupies just 5MB and has been designed specifically to work on devices that utilize 2G networks and offer low amounts of processing power. The new app removes most of the unnecessary design features and instead focuses solely on function. Gone are the fancy vehicle animations and default maps, and in their place is a new simplistic UI that offers a textbox where a destination can be typed on and a few suggestions to speed up the process. Once the destination is selected, users can choose between a variety of vehicles such as Moto, UberGo, Premier, and UberXL, which are displayed alongside their respective ride fee estimates. On a side note, it’s worth noting that maps can be activated within the app via the settings.
Moving forward, Uber also has plans for various other features such as local language support, a new progress bar that informs users of how far away their Uber is, and a new option that will allow people to book rides even when offline.
In light of the popularity of low-end Android smartphones in the Indian market, it appears the ride-sharing service is fully aware of the limitations these devices offer, hence the introduction of a new app called Uber Lite. Unlike the regular app which weighs in at over 180MB, the Lite version occupies just 5MB and has been designed specifically to work on devices that utilize 2G networks and offer low amounts of processing power. The new app removes most of the unnecessary design features and instead focuses solely on function. Gone are the fancy vehicle animations and default maps, and in their place is a new simplistic UI that offers a textbox where a destination can be typed on and a few suggestions to speed up the process. Once the destination is selected, users can choose between a variety of vehicles such as Moto, UberGo, Premier, and UberXL, which are displayed alongside their respective ride fee estimates. On a side note, it’s worth noting that maps can be activated within the app via the settings.
Currently, the company has stated that the new Uber Lite app will be rolling out in India initially, although there are plans to launch it in other emerging markets later in the year. For now, though, it’s yet to be released via the Google Play Store.
source: Uber via: TechCrunch
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