LinkedIn launched a ‘lite’ version of its Android app in India, aimed at areas with unpredictable internet connectivity and users with lower end smartphones, following the success of a “lightweight” mobile website introduced last year.

The business-oriented social network said it has more than 42 million members in the country and “with mobile fast becoming the first screen in India, the lite app offers a seamless and intuitive experience of LinkedIn to users on Android’s operating system, that accounts for 97 per cent of India’s smartphone market”.

LinkedIn plans to roll out the mobile web version and the Android app in over 60 countries shortly and claims it loads extremely fast – in less than five seconds and “even on 2G networks”.

It is 1MB in size and reduces data usage by 80 percent. It also offers all key features of the core app, including a news feed, jobs, profile, messaging, notifications, and search.

Akshay Kothari, LinkedIn’s country manager for India, said he hopes the app “will democratise access to economic opportunity. Regardless of their device or location, we hope to level the playing field for all LinkedIn members so they can get closer to their dream jobs, grow their networks and become more successful”.

Many tech giants like Facebook and Twitter have launched lite apps, targeting users in countries with average internet speeds and basic Android smartphones.