The phrase “one size fits all” may be accurate in some circumstances, but it definitely isn’t true when it comes to software. Sure, an application developer could code something that performs well on all imaginable hardware, but then they have to cut back on features, which in turn can degrade the overall user experience of a product or service. The same can be said with fully featured applications that are trying to run on low-power hardware as the performance always becomes an issue. Android developers are becoming more and more aware of this to the point where they are releasing “Lite” versions of their apps for select markets. Uber Lite is the latest to join in on this initiative.
Uber has been working on spreading its presence to these new and emerging markets and has found that slow performance of their application has caused many to look elsewhere. So, the company has announced a new pilot program for their Uber Lite application in the country of India. The new application weighs in at only 5MB in size and has proven to work well on networks that have limited speeds and/or poor connectivity issues. The team has been able to do this by caching top destinations and foregoing a number of popular features.
Uber Lite Features
- Guided pickups – Uber Lite guides users through the request experience by detecting their current location, so minimal typing is required. If it can’t detect your location because of GPS or network issues, it will surface popular pickup points nearby from you to choose from.
- Tap over type – Uber Lite makes picking your destination as easy as a tap of a button. The app caches the city’s top places so that even when you are offline, no network is needed for them to surface. And the more you use Uber Lite, the smarter the app gets, learning where you go most often and surfacing those options for you to tap first, so you don’t have to type your destination every time.
- Maps only when you want them – To keep the app light and fast, maps in Uber Lite are optional, but available with just a tap if you want them. And coming soon, a progress bar helps users follow the driver’s progress should you opt to not load the map.
The team at Uber is currently working on clever and inventive ways to implement these types of features and have said that things such as language selection and the ability to request a ride offline will be coming in future updates. Head on over to the Uber Lite sign-up page to get on the list to try out the app.
Source: Uber Via: Android Police