Amazon has quietly introduced a lightweight web browser app for Android devices, claiming to be “lighter than the competition.” Named “Internet,” the app is designed to take up minimal space on the device, with a size of less than 2MB. It emphasizes privacy by not requesting additional permissions or collecting personal data, distinguishing it from other browsers. The app is accessible for download on Google Play and is compatible with devices running Android 5.0 Marshmallow and higher.
Similar to popular browsers like Google Chrome, Amazon’s Internet browser features a home page with an integrated section for trending news. It provides tab previews and supports automatic fullscreen mode. Additionally, users can switch to private tabs to conceal their browsing history.
Although the Google Play listing indicates compatibility with Android 5.0 and above, some users experienced difficulty downloading the app on devices running Android 7.0 and Android 8.1. TechCrunch reported that the feedback email on Google Play points to Amazon India, suggesting that the app may have been developed by the Amazon India team.
This web browser app is not Amazon’s first “lite” application. The company previously released the Amazon Kindle Lite app in India, offering a basic e-book reading experience with a file size under 2MB. The Kindle Lite app is optimized for slower data speeds and areas with unreliable data connectivity.
Amazon’s focus on lightweight mobile apps aligns with efforts by other tech giants, such as Facebook and Google, to cater to emerging markets. Facebook offers Lite versions of its main app and Messenger for devices with limited data access. Similarly, Google provides Gmail Go, Google Go, Google Maps Go, and YouTube Go as pre-installed options on devices running Android Oreo (Go Edition).