Many companies, including Google itself, launched “Go” and “Lite” branded apps of their core services and apps to provide lightweight software for smartphones that didn’t have as much power and high-end components. of range. The Go and Lite branded apps were aimed at low-end devices. They particularly targeted developing countries where the Internet was still relatively new and not as widely available as it is today.
In a blog post, Google announced that it would shut down YouTuge Go in August. The post recommends users to switch to the official YouTube app, saying it offers a “better overall user experience as well as features not available in the YouTube Go app.”
YouTube Go was launched in 2016, and it was designed to provide easy access over slower internet connections, and it mainly targeted low-end devices to provide an experience that was just as great as the desktop or main YouTube app. . Google also promises to create “additional user controls that will help reduce mobile data usage for viewers with limited data.”
wait more To go and light apps to disable
Google also recently shut down the Chrome Lite Mode feature, which allowed users to save internet in a data-expensive world. Google Chrome Lite functionality has become redundant over the years as 4G comes, and now 5G data plans are becoming more affordable and widely available in developed regions. Google found that it wasn’t used by most users, and if it was, it didn’t offer the benefits it once did.
Facebook also killed its light Facebook Lite request (through MacRumors), which allowed users to access the social media giant even on 2G networks and in rural areas with poor connections. The app was simple and offered most of the essential features of the main app. The Facebook Lite app was launched in 2018 alongside Messenger Lite, and Facebook Lite shut it down in 2020. The Messenger Lite app, on the other hand, is still popular and actively maintained today by parent company Meta. from Facebook.
1, smartphones become more intelligent
In 2015 and 2016, most low and mid-range smartphones had 1-3 GB of RAM, and some even launched with 512 MB. Nokia 1 was launched in 2018, and it only had 1 GB of RAM. RAM, 8GB of eMMC 5.0 storage, a 4.5-inch IPS LCD, 480 x 854 display and it was powered by Android Go (8.1 Oreo). It was anything but a powerhouse, and it benefited greatly in light applications due to the small amount of memory and storage, not to mention the quad-core 1.1 GHz MediaTek chipset.
Fast forward a few years, and the Nokia 1.4 is a bargain for around $120. However, there are many sub-$200 quality devices in the competition, such as the TCL 20 SE, OnePlus Nord N200 5G, Samsung Galaxy A13 and many more. Most of these devices have at least 3-6GB of memory, depending on the model you choose, and most of them also run the full version of Android.
Smartphone hardware has improved dramatically in recent years. Even lower-end devices are getting performance updates that make them a more viable option for multitasking and even some light gaming. The mid-range category has also improved considerably, and now we also have a high-end mid-range category, which includes smartphones with high-end flagship features at a lower and more affordable price.
The whole market is saturated with these powerful new devices, and so the need for lightweight and efficient software is now redundant to the point that it no longer makes sense for large companies to maintain them.
2, Software and operating system improvements
In the first part, we mentioned hardware, but software is just as important. You can have the world’s fastest chipset in a phone, but it will struggle to multitask with apps and run efficiently if the software isn’t optimized.
Android has received several performance improvements over the years, and it has become so smooth and optimized that it can run on low-level hardware as well as flagship-level components. The apps have also received several updates over the years, and APIs and new tools have been developed to focus on optimization and efficiency.
We also have 90Hz, 120Hz and even higher refresh rates. Many mid-range devices now come with high refresh rate screens, making the phone experience slightly more enjoyable and up to date. Popular apps such as YouTube, Facebook and many more also integrate To go and light features and other functionality. Thanks to these advances in software, applications have become more efficient when used on the Internet, hardware and slow connections.
In a world where smartphones are becoming more and more optimized, efficient and powerful, there is no longer a strong demand for dedicated apps that do less and perform better. Internet prices are more affordable than ever, and while the speed still isn’t as fast as most of us expected, it’s stable and good enough to scroll through Instagram for hours on end.
Check out these excellent affordable smartphones
Google Pixel 6
The Google Pixel 6 is the most compact and affordable variant of the new flagship series. It features most of the same features and comes with the same main, ultra-wide camera as the Pixel 6 Pro.
Samsung Galaxy A53
The new Galaxy A53 comes with a large 6.5-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED display and a 64MP main camera. The battery packs a 5,000mAh cell that can last 2 days on a single charge, and it also supports 25W fast wired charging.
Samsung Galaxy A13 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A13 5G comes with the Dimensity 700 chipset and 4GB of RAM. It has a 6.5-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 5,000mAh battery that offers a full day’s charge.
OnePlus Nord N10 5G
The Nord N10 costs $60 more than the N200, and while the name might be confusing, it offers a competitive experience among other affordable smartphones on the market. With its 6.49-inch display, 64MP rear camera, and 8MP ultrawide, you can capture much better photos, and it’s also excellent for some gaming and light multitasking thanks to the 6GB of memory.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G
The OnePlus Nord N200 supports 5G for faster connectivity, unlike its N100 sibling. It also comes with a 6.49-inch 90Hz display that’s excellent for smoothly scrolling through those Instagram cat pictures. It’s got a decent camera for the price, and it’s got the same 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast wired charging. That’s great if you want a slightly faster device than the N100, especially if you don’t want not spend too much.
iPhone SE 2022
The latest iPhone SE 2022 comes with 5G and the A15 Bionic chip, the same SoC that powers the iPhone 13 series of flagship devices. The new iPhone SE is the most affordable iPhone in Apple’s lineup, and it comes with new camera features and improved battery life.
