Uber Lite available in selected cities

New Delhi, June 12: The The ride-hailing giant Uber is releasing a new minimal version of its app that saves space, works on any network and is compatible with any basic Android phone.

To cement its position and grow further, the ridesharing firm has unveiled a new app, Uber Lite. It's less than 5MB in size, compared to over 180 MB for its regular app, works on nearly any Android (and only Android) device, and will function even if users have poor internet speeds or intermittent connectivity.

When you open the app, you won't see a map with little Uber cars zipping around. Instead, Uber Lite has a minimal design to keep it running quickly and smoothly. It guides users through the request experience by detecting a user's location, reducing the need to type. If there are GPS or network issues, it will offer popular pickup points to choose from.

Right now, however, it has just a 35 percent share of the market compared to 45 percent for rival Ola. And while the 5MB Uber Lite app is a good start, Ola already has a light version of its own app that's just 1MB in size.