Facebook has had a “lite” version of its main app since 2015, giving users with slower phones and poor internet connections a decent way to access the social network. Now, the company has also launched Facebook Messenger Lite for Android, a slimmed-down version of its standalone Messenger app.
In a blog post Monday, Facebook said the app “offers the core features of Messenger for markets with slower-than-average internet speedsand a prevalence of basic Android smartphones.”
The app is less than 10MB in size, and includes core Messenger functions such as sending and receiving text messages, photos and links, as well as receiving stickers. Just like the Facebook Lite app, the Facebook Messenger Lite’s icon has the colors reversed: It’s blue on white instead of white on blue.
One feature Facebook doesn’t mention is possible positive impact on battery life. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with using Facebook Lite instead of the standard Facebook app, and my phone’s battery has lasted considerably longer. It’ll be interesting to see whether Messenger Lite saves battery life as well.
However, not all users will be able to switch to Lite versions of Facebook apps. Facebook Lite does not exist on iOS, and neither does Messenger Lite. It’s somewhat logical, given that Facebook’s target audience for the apps is people with slow, old Android phones and poor connections. But given the impact on battery life, it’d be nice to have the Lite option on iOS as well.
Facebook Messenger Lite is rolling out right now in Kenya, Tunisia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Venezuela. It will launch in “other countries in the coming months,” Facebook said in the blog post.
