Engineering Uber Lite
Article Summary
Uber's main app hit 60MB and struggled on older Android devices in emerging markets. So they built something radically different.
Uber's engineering team in Bangalore created Uber Lite, a stripped-down rider app designed for 2G networks and Android phones from 2015 or earlier. The challenge: 40% of global Uber riders used older hardware that couldn't handle the feature-rich main app.
Key Takeaways
- Compressed entire app to under 5MB download, 25MB installed (vs 60MB original)
- Maps load only on demand to save bandwidth on sub-3G networks
- Single network request per screen, all payloads under 1 MTU
- Server-side orchestration handles heavy lifting instead of client processing
- Maintained single DEX file by staying under 65,536 method limit
Critical Insight
Uber Lite delivers the core ride-hailing experience in 5MB with sub-300ms screen transitions, even on 2G networks and 2013-era Android phones.
