Internet users in India and Indonesia could use it for a year and a half, but now Google is finally rolling out a light version of its search engine worldwide, called Google Go.
The Google Go app is only 7MB in size (compared to the approximately 200MB of the original app) and mainly serves as a search engine for smartphones with little storage space or with limited access to a stable internet connection. This is also the reason that India and Indonesia have been able to get started with the app for a while: in emerging countries the internet is simply not as fast and stable as in developed countries.
The app not only takes up little space, but also ensures that looking up information takes as little data as possible. Your search results will also be remembered when you come back online after an internet connection has been lost.
Google Go is readily available for Android phones through the Play Store. According to Google, the light version of the search engine works on smartphones with Lollipop (5.0) and higher. An iOS version of Google Go is not yet available.
Lens
Google has been looking for some time to make its search engine more accessible in emerging markets. Earlier this year, the internet giant brought Google Lens functionality to Google Go, which can use a phone's camera to instantly translate text on paper or board. With the Go app it is also possible to perform searches with your voice and to have web pages read aloud.
More Lite variants
Google Go is not the only app that got a light variant. There is Gmail Go, which offers a simpler way to send emails, and Gallery Go to organize photos. In addition to these apps, there is even Android Go, a light variant of the mobile operating system that was also specially designed for smartphones with a limited capacity.
Google's lightweight apps aren't just popular in emerging markets. Many users appreciate the applications for the lack of fuss and unnecessary features.
