Ola Beats Uber to Launch Its Lite App For Entry-Level Smartphones

The app works on low network areas and promises to load within three seconds, on entry level phones.

Ola Lite goes up against Uber’s recent product features for the Indian market. 

(Photo: The Quint)

The growing advent of Lite version of Android apps has caught up with Ola, which has announced its own Lite app that caters to consumers in low-connectivity areas, or those who own an entry-level phone. To its credit, Ola manages to beat Uber to the Lite rollout, which helps them connect with the wider consumer base in the country.

Unlike the regular Ola, this one, sized at around 1 MB, is easy to download, and can be used on devices that may not pack as much as a quad-core processor or 2 gigs of RAM.

The Ola Lite could also be a signal that the India-based cab aggregator is ready to make itself available for users on Android Oreo Go, the toned-down version of Android, which will be releasing on new phones in the coming months.

Also Read: Android ‘Oreo Go’ Debuts for Low-End Phones, Will Support All Apps

Ola claims that the miniature size of the Lite app will make sure that it loads faster – at less than 3 seconds – even when the connectivity is not at its best.

As the first in the industry to launch the Lite app, Ola focuses on solving accessibility challenges in the emerging towns and cities of the country.

Ola Statement

With this move, Ola has clearly shown its intent to target tier II and III cities, where Ola services are available, but limited in its offerings because of network challenges.

During our brief time with the app (using it on Wi-Fi) we noticed that the app was quick to respond, but the streamlining became obvious when the booking interface showed up.

Unlike the regular Ola app, this one greets you without the Maps interface. 

(Photo: Ola Lite app screen grab)

The first thing that we noticed was the absence of Google Maps interface on the main screen. You can manually select between Taxi, Outstation or Rental, and let the GPS lock your location. Granted, the app doesn’t look visually appealing, but for an app that’s sized at 1MB, that’s hardly a problem.

Also, one has to understand that Ola Lite is targeted at consumers who’re yet to avail its cab services, or do so in their own region.

Whichever way you look at it, Ola Lite seems to be a clever ploy and another chance for Bhavish Aggarwal and Co to up the ante on its biggest rival, Uber, which had recently rolled out its cab-booking option for non-smartphone users.

Also Read: Now Uber Lets You Book a Cab Even If You Don’t Have a Smartphone

They’ve already hit the food-delivery business yet again by getting Foodpanda on board, and Ola Lite gives them further impetus to outlast its competition.