Spotify has launched a “lite” version of its music streaming app aimed at users in emerging markets like South Africa where data costs can be prohibitive.

Spotify Lite uses less storage, making it a good option for older devices and operating systems, with limited capacity, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

“You’ll still be able to search for and play your favourite songs and artists, save them, share them with others, discover new music and enjoy playlists made just for you, but with a few extra features making it ideal for older devices and operating systems,” Spotify said.

Spotify Lite was “built from the ground up based on user feedback from around the world”. It is designed to work in areas with limited bandwidth, said Kalle Persson, senior product manager at Spotify.

“Lite can be downloaded separately, both for free and premium users, and used either alongside or independently of the main Spotify app on all Android phones running version 4.3 or higher.”

At 10MB, the app is a smaller download than the main version and comes with the ability to set a data limit and get a notification when reaching that limit.

Spotify Lite also allows users to control their cache and clear it with a tap. The app is now available in 36 markets in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, including South Africa, in the Google Play store. — © 2019 NewsCentral Media