There is life beyond flagships and cheap phones with good value for money: there are those who are just looking for a basic smartphone for calls, WhatsApp and nothing else, and others people who use the entry range to have a second phone. Having a basic mobile does not necessarily imply a bad experience, thanks to Android 13 (Go Edition), the ultra-light version of Android. What are the best and lightweight Android Go apps you can install on your phone?
Google Go
Less than 10MB weighs Go, Google’s reference application for phones with Android Go for current and trending inquiries and topics. The search bar is not lacking with the usual options such as GIFs, websites and videos or integration with Google Lens. A good alternative to save space on Go and non-Go phones. After testing it extensively, we’re confident that those few megabytes provide a compelling search experience.
- Download it for free from the Google Play Store.
Google Maps Go
If you have a phone with few resources, Google Maps Go is a great option to save space. Lightweight and functional, this app weighs just over 2 MB (+ 22 MB in browsing mode) – compared to more than 200 MB in standard – fulfills its mission to find places and guide us therealthough you have to make concessions: you need a separate app to navigate, it’s not possible to download offline maps, there’s no integration with the Google Assistant, there’s fewer options, mainly.
- Download it for free from the Google Play Store.
Google Go Assistant
The essentials of the Google Assistant in a light version. So, with Google Assistant Go, you can make phone calls, send messages, listen to music, navigate, see upcoming events, access weather information, and receive replies, all while taking up 12MB of space. Beware, don’t expect smart home features.
- Download it for free from the Google Play Store.
Gmail Go
With less than 13 MB of space, Gmail Go hardly differs functionally from Gmailwhere there is no shortage of confidential emails or scheduled emails, differing primarily in that in Go there is no Chat, Rooms, and Meeting tabs. However, since the standard Gmail app is 20MB, practically if you have Gmail out of the box on your phone, it’s not worth upgrading to the ultra-light version and if you have Gmail Go because your phone uses Android Go, good news because you hardly lost usage options.
- Download it for free from the Google Play Store.
Facebook Lite
At around 1.5MB in size, Facebook Lite eschews animations and large visual flourishes in favor of a simple interface so as not to strain your phone’s resources. Functionally, it has virtually all the essentialsFrom news and photo uploads to event features and business information. You can even access your Messenger tray without installing anything else.
- Download it for free from the Google Play Store.
light instagram
After Facebook’s success, Meta extended the lite version format to Instagram, with back and forth on the Google Play Store (in mid-2020 it disappeared from the Play Store, returning at the end of this that year). The heart of its functions is present– Upload photos, browse your feed, explore, send and receive messages, and view stories. Out of curiosity, the reels have arrived, but only for India.
- Download it for free from the Google Play Store.
Light Twitter
Twitter Lite is the very light version of Twitter, so much so that it occupies less than 1 MB, taking the browser to access it. There is no shortage of essentials such as timeline, tweets, direct messages, trends, profiles, file downloads, notifications and even a data save mode.
- How to get Twitter Lite? To access Twitter Lite, you must have Google Chrome on your mobile and go to mobile.twitter.com. There, tap on “Login” and enter your credentials.
Spotify Lite
Spotify Lite is great if you need a lightweight music streaming app, as it’s around 8MB compared to 30MB for the standard version. The app offers streaming, data management, and even the ability to save music for offline listening. Its great advantage is its lightness and adaptability in terms of performance and audio quality.
- Download it for free from the Google Play Store.
Uber Lite
Originally designed for the Indian market, Uber Lite has reached more markets like Mexico (but not Europe). According to the company, the application works well even with 2G connections. Among its shortcomings, it does not display maps by default, but displays a progress bar for the journey. The app caches the most relevant locations in your city for quick suggested pickup and drop-off locations.
- Download it for free from the Google Play Store.
In Xataka Android | Android, Android One and Android Go: all the differences and which version is better
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