LinkedIn Lite was a slimmed-down version of LinkedIn that was designed for areas with slow internet connections or limited data plans. It provided core LinkedIn functionality without all the bells and whistles of the full LinkedIn experience.
LinkedIn Lite was discontinued in early 2022. Here are some key details about the discontinuation of LinkedIn Lite:
When was LinkedIn Lite discontinued?
LinkedIn announced in December 2021 that LinkedIn Lite would no longer be available starting March 1, 2022. As of that date, the LinkedIn Lite apps and site are no longer accessible.
Why did LinkedIn discontinue LinkedIn Lite?
LinkedIn said the decision to shut down LinkedIn Lite was driven by shifts in user behavior and technology. As mobile data becomes more affordable globally, fewer people need a stripped down version of LinkedIn. The company felt it could better serve users by focusing on improving the core LinkedIn experience rather than maintaining a separate lightweight app.
What options do users have now that LinkedIn Lite is gone?
Users who need a data-light LinkedIn experience can use the full LinkedIn app and enable data saving features:
- On Android, enable Data Saver mode in LinkedIn’s Settings
- On iOS, enable Low Data Mode via iPhone settings
These limit data usage while still providing access to core LinkedIn functionality. Users can also access LinkedIn via desktop/mobile web which uses less data than the native app.
What features were removed with LinkedIn Lite?
LinkedIn Lite provided access to basic social and professional networking capabilities, including:
- Viewing profiles and feeds
- Messaging
- Receiving notifications
- Searching jobs
However, it removed features like customized feeds, social sharing, Company Pages, video uploads, and anything multimedia-related. The goal was to reduce data usage as much as possible.
What regions was LinkedIn Lite available in?
LinkedIn Lite launched in 2017 and was primarily available in regions with limited connectivity and expensive mobile data costs, including:
- India
- Southeast Asia
- Brazil
- Indonesia
- Mexico
It was designed to make LinkedIn’s core networking accessible to users in emerging markets. But over time, declining usage led LinkedIn to drop support for the Lite version entirely.
The History and Purpose of LinkedIn Lite
To better understand why LinkedIn Lite was created in the first place and why LinkedIn ultimately shut it down, it helps to look back at the history and original goals of the lightweight version of the platform.
LinkedIn Lite Origins
LinkedIn Lite was first unveiled in July 2017. It launched initially as an Android app in India and select Southeast Asian countries. At the time, LinkedIn said its vision was to “create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.”
Providing a low-bandwidth version of LinkedIn was key to realizing that vision in regions where mobile data was expensive and internet speeds were slow. LinkedIn Lite aimed to make the core value of LinkedIn’s professional networking accessible to users no matter what device or connectivity constraints they faced.
Expanding to More Regions
Given decent initial adoption and feedback, LinkedIn accelerated expansion plans for LinkedIn Lite. In late 2017, LinkedIn Lite became available on iOS mobile devices. And in 2018, it launched support for 7 additional languages and rolled out to over 60 more countries.
This wider availability helped fulfill LinkedIn’s goal of bringing professional networking to developing digital economies where full-featured LinkedIn was impractical. And the company reported that users in these regions were highly engaged on LinkedIn Lite.
Features and Capabilities
As discussed above, LinkedIn Lite was a streamlined version of the flagship app. It focused on core networking activities. Here are some of the key features the Lite app provided:
- Profile management – Edit profiles and make connections
- Feed – View network updates and post status updates
- Messaging – Send messages to connections
- Notifications – Receive notifications to stay updated
- Search Jobs – Find and apply for jobs
- multimedia content removed – No photos, videos, ads, or Company Pages
Anything that required significant bandwidth like multimedia was eliminated from LinkedIn Lite to reduce data usage.
Why LinkedIn Ultimately Ended Support
In its 2021 announcement ending LinkedIn Lite, the company explained a few factors that led to this decision:
- Mobile data becoming more affordable globally, reducing need for Lite app
- User engagement shifting toward full LinkedIn experience
- Ability to serve users better by improving core LinkedIn product rather than separate Lite app
Essentially, LinkedIn felt usage patterns and technological circumstances had changed enough that LinkedIn Lite was no longer the best way to achieve its mission. And allocating resources to a single robust platform would be more impactful.
The User Experience of LinkedIn Lite
To get a fuller picture of LinkedIn Lite and why it appealed to users in emerging markets, it helps to walk through what the overall user experience was like.
Onboarding Process
Getting started with LinkedIn Lite was simple. Users could download the Android or iOS app for free. Upon opening for the first time, they could:
- Sign up with email and password or login with LinkedIn account
- Add profile photo and basic background info
- Follow a few suggestions to start building network
The onboarding flow was designed to be quick and unintimidating for new LinkedIn users.
Home Feed and Notifications
The LinkedIn Lite home screen displayed a feed of updates from connections. Through the feed, users could:
- Like and comment on posts
- Share their own status updates
- View profiles of posters
- Follow new connections
Notifications were also shown in the home feed. Tapping on notifications brought users to relevant content from their network.
Messaging and Connections
For direct communication, LinkedIn Lite allowed users to exchange messages with 1st degree connections. This enabled basic professional networking capabilities through the app.
The My Network section displayed all of a user’s 1st degree connections. From here, users could connect with new professionals and start conversations.
Job Search
One of the core uses of LinkedIn is searching for job opportunities. So LinkedIn Lite incorporated a basic job search feature:
- Search for jobs by keyword or location
- Filter results by specifications like date posted or job type
- View key details about openings
- Apply for jobs directly through LinkedIn Lite
This gave users in emerging markets access to the global professional job market.
Profile Management
LinkedIn profiles represent a user’s professional identity and brand. LinkedIn Lite allowed users to view profiles and make edits:
- Add photo, professional background, skills, etc.
- Customize public profile URL
- Control visibility of certain sections
While simplified compared to main LinkedIn, users had control to tailor their public presence.
Usage Statistics and Impact
To assess the impact of LinkedIn Lite, it helps to look at some key statistics around its usage while it was available:
User Base
At its peak, LinkedIn reported that LinkedIn Lite had millions of users, primarily across India, Southeast Asia, Brazil, Indonesia, and Mexico.
The company never released official exact figures, but third-party estimates put the total user base between 10-20 million. This indicates significant adoption in the markets it targeted.
Growth Trajectory
In the first year after launching in 2017, LinkedIn said LinkedIn Lite increased its member base in India by 50%. And a 2019 report showed LinkedIn Lite users were 20% more engaged day-to-day compared to users of the full app.
However, growth began slowing by 2021 as mobile data costs fell globally. This signaled diminishing demand for a stripped-down networking app.
Top Use Cases
Surveys of LinkedIn Lite users revealed the top use cases:
- Job seeking – 80% used for job search and applications
- Professional networking – 60% used to build connections
- Following companies – 55% followed companies for job opportunities
Developing professional relationships and economic opportunities were primary motivators.
Impact on Emerging Markets
While concrete data is limited, experts believe LinkedIn Lite meaningfully contributed to professional networking and job seeking in regions where the full app wasn’t viable.
It connected users across Southeast Asia, South America, and other developing markets to economic opportunities they may have otherwise been unable to access. And it gave professionals in these regions greater visibility that could accelerate their careers.
So for a time, LinkedIn Lite appears to have delivered tangible benefits – even if shifting trends later made the app unnecessary.
The Future of LinkedIn in Emerging Markets
Now that LinkedIn Lite is shut down, what does the future look like for LinkedIn in emerging digital economies?
Focus Shifts to Core Products
LinkedIn emphasized that discontinuing LinkedIn Lite will allow focusing resources on enhancing the core LinkedIn product experience. So one priority is optimizing the main LinkedIn apps for efficiency across device types and network conditions.
For example, the universal LinkedIn app on both iOS and Android now offers data saving modes. So the company is baking these needs directly into flagship products rather than a separate Lite app.
Localization and Global Initiatives
LinkedIn also plans to continue localization initiatives to make the platform more useful across global markets. Recent examples include adding support for Hindi language and expanding job listings in certain regions.
Additionally, LinkedIn is piloting programs like recruiting linked to skills rather than just degrees. The goal is increasing access and removing barriers to economic opportunity.
Partnerships with Mobile Carriers
To reduce mobile data constraints in developing nations, LinkedIn is partnering directly with telecom carriers to offer discounted or free data usage when accessing LinkedIn.
For example, a 2021 partnership with Airtel Africa provided LinkedIn access without data charges to Airtel subscribers across 17 African nations.
Future Lite Apps Unlikely but Not Impossible
When LinkedIn Lite shut down, the company stated they had “no plans to offer a similar lightweight LinkedIn experience” moving forward. So the chances of LinkedIn Lite returning or a new Lite app being developed seem very low.
However, business priorities and global digital landscapes can change. As emerging markets mature, a streamlined LinkedIn app could potentially fill a niche need again one day. But LinkedIn’s immediate focus appears to be improving inclusiveness of existing products rather than separate Lite offerings.
The Pros and Cons of LinkedIn Lite
LinkedIn Lite offered clear benefits that made it appealing to users in emerging digital economies. But maintaining a separate lightweight app also came with downsides and challenges.
Advantages of LinkedIn Lite
Some of the key advantages of LinkedIn Lite included:
- Lower data usage – Consumed much less mobile data vs. full LinkedIn
- Faster performance – Smaller app size loaded faster on slow connections
- Easier onboarding – Simpler sign-up flow for new users
- Core features – Had networking and job seeking features essential for career growth
- Wider access – Opened up LinkedIn’s value to developing markets
For users in emerging markets, these factors expanded professional opportunity.
Disadvantages of LinkedIn Lite
However, maintaining a separate lightweight app also posed some downsides:
- Feature disparity – Missing features like multimedia sharing vs. full app
- Fragmented product focus – Diverted resources from improving core platform
- Code maintenance – Required separate dev team and testing vs. main LinkedIn
- Marketing confusion – Led to brand dilution and mixed messaging
- Missed monetization – Limited ad options and premium features
Managing these tradeoffs ultimately led LinkedIn to drop LinkedIn Lite entirely.
Top Questions About the Discontinuation of LinkedIn Lite
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about LinkedIn shutting down LinkedIn Lite:
Is there any way to still use LinkedIn Lite?
No, LinkedIn Lite is no longer functional or available for download as of March 2022. Any existing installs on mobile devices no longer work.
What should LinkedIn Lite users do now?
LinkedIn recommends installing the full-featured main LinkedIn mobile apps or accessing LinkedIn via the desktop website. Users can enable data saving modes in the apps to reduce data usage.
Will my LinkedIn Lite data and profile transfer over?
Yes, all LinkedIn Lite member data and profiles automatically transferred over to the main LinkedIn platform and can still be accessed normally.
Where was LinkedIn Lite available?
LinkedIn Lite launched in India in 2017 before expanding to 60+ other countries, primarily in Southeast Asia, South America, Mexico, and Indonesia.
Why did LinkedIn remove features like sharing and video from LinkedIn Lite?
To achieve faster performance and lower data usage, bandwidth-heavy features were removed. The focus was keeping only essential networking capabilities in the slimmed-down Lite app.
Conclusion
The discontinuation of LinkedIn Lite marks the end of LinkedIn’s experiment with a lightweight companion app. While it expanded access for several years, diminished need ultimately led LinkedIn to shut it down and shift focus to enhancing its core product experience.
For the millions who used LinkedIn Lite, the full-featured LinkedIn platform now provides data saving options to maintain access even with connectivity constraints. And the company appears committed to ensuring professionals everywhere can leverage LinkedIn for economic empowerment – with or without a Lite version.