LinkedIn launches faster, lighter ‘LinkedIn Lite’

LinkedIn, one of the world's largest professional networks with over 42 million members in India, announced the introduction of the 'LinkedIn Lite,' an Android app which is a faster and lighter version of its flagship app.

The app gives users a seamless and intuitive experience of LinkedIn on Android's operating system that accounted for 97 per cent of India's smartphone market, the company said.

LinkedIn Lite app was first being rolled out for members in India and the professional network may roll out the mobile web version and the Android app in over 60 plus countries shortly.

LinkedIn Lite comes after Facebook launched its  'Lite' version app, a move aimed at attracting more users.(See: Facebook Messenger rolls out Messenger Lite app in India)

Because it comes without the usual frills, the Messenger Lite app works on slow internet networks, which is a common problem users face in India.

The light version of the Android app, which is less than 1 MB in size and is designed to cut data usage by 80 per cent. Earlier, in September 2016, the company launched the lighter version of its mobile website.

LinkedIn issued a statement, ''LinkedIn Lite app is first being rolled out to members in India... LinkedIn plans to roll out the mobile web version and the Android app in over 60 countries shortly.''

According to commentators, the move will help LinkedIn find a place in more smartphones in developing countries like India that often faced network issues. Also, with a significant chunk of the population using devices with low on-board memory, the small size of the app will appeal to more users.

India, the second largest market for LinkedIn, counts over 42 million members. Interestingly, the 'Lite' app that had been developed by LinkedIn's R&D team in Bengaluru, also offered all key features, including news feed, jobs, profile, network, messaging, notifications, and search.