Facebook rolls out its Messenger Lite app to users in US, UK, Canada and Ireland
03 Oct 2017
Facebook has rolled out its Messenger Lite app to users in US, UK, Canada and Ireland.
The app was launched in developing countries a year ago, which have issues of internet connectivity.
Currently people in all places can use the Messenger Lite app only on-devices running on Android4. The app has not been introduced to iOS users and according to TechCrunch, Facebook does not even plan to release it for the iPhones.
According to commentators, while the Messenger Lite helps people in places with sluggish mobile connectivity, users who would rather escape the snowballing features on the main app will also find it useful.
Facebook Messenger Lite is a lean app that focuses on the essentials with primary focus on messaging, rather than Snapchat-like filters, or games that are currently available on the main Messenger app. The Lite version is for people who are put of by the plethora of features and prefer to stick to the essentials. The slimmed down Messenger also gives the slip to such features like chat heads and video calling.
The app size is an impressive 5MB, it installs faster, and quickly boots up even during poor connectivity. The Messenger Lite allows users to exchange text messages, photos, links, emojis, and stickers as they do on the regular Messenger app.
According to commentators, the move should be emulated by other companies to release lighter versions of their apps; as there are data caps in developed countries, too. Messenger Lite is available from the Play Store with an install size of less than 10MB.
According to Facebook, with over a billion people still being without faster 3G and 4G network coverage, these slimmed-down apps are essential to attract more users in new markets. Its Lite apps are therefore smaller than 10MB to download, and run on less system resources.