Facebook Announces New ‘Messenger Lite’ Android App
Facebook has had a busy Monday. First with their announcement of Facebook Marketplace, and now a stand-alone Android app named Messenger Lite. Announced on Facebook’s news blog this morning, Messenger Lite is a “slimmed down version of Messenger that offers the core features of Messenger for markets with slower than average internet speeds and a prevalence of basic Android smartphones.”
Messenger Lite is essentially a basic version of the existing Messenger app but optimized for older Android phones with less capable hardware and storage as well as locations that have a less-than-optimal connection to a network. The app is under 10mb and includes Messenger’s core features including messaging, sending and receiving photos and links, and receiving stickers.
Facebook claims that more than 1 billion people use Facebook messenger each month, and this is a unique problem that deserves a dedicated app. Messenger Lite uses the same bolt logo as Messenger but with colours reversed. The app is roll out to people in Kenya, Tunisia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Venezuela but will be added to more countries in the next month or so.
