Social networking giant Facebook is looking to further dominate the web 2.0 market with its new service, Facebook Lite.
As the name implies, Facebook Lite is a streamlined edition of the website, designed for mobiles and devices using limited internet connections.
The Facebook company is particularly looking to use Facebook Lite to expand its user base in emerging nations, where broadband connection speeds remain slow.
Currently the service is being trialled in India, a nation with a population of 1.2 billion, a significantly faster birth-rate than China, and – much to the disdain of environmental groups – an emerging middle class that has adopted the west’s consumer habits and desires.
If Facebook becomes a recognisable brand across Asia’s most populous areas, it could significantly increase the website’s 250 million active users.
There are plans to extend the trial service to Russia and China.
"Facebook Lite is a fast-loading, simplified version of Facebook that enables people to make comments, accept friend requests, write on people's walls, and look at photos and status updates," said Facebook in a statement.
"We are currently testing Facebook Lite in countries where we are seeing lots of new users coming to Facebook for the first time and are looking to start off with a more simple experience."
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