Facebook Launches Messenger Lite Application For Android

In June 2015, the Facebook Lite was reintroduced as an app with a total size of less than 1MB, primarily focusing markets where internet access is slow or limited. Now, Facebook has just announced the immediate availability of a new version of its Messenger application for Android devices. Dubbed Messenger Lite, the application will be launched in emerging markets where communication is still a luxury.

One of the main goal Facebook aims to achieve through launching the Messenger Lite is to reduce the mobile data consumption, which is so expensive in some markets. According to Facebook, the Messenger Lite application will be initially launched in five countries: Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Venezuela. However, the developers confirmed the application will expand to more markets after the initial launch phase.

A second reason that Facebook decided to launch a lightweight, and basic version of Messenger is that there are many people in these emerging markets who still own older Android devices that have less available storage, memory, and lower performing CPUs. These smartphones often run on lower bandwidth connections, so Messenger Lite will definitely come in handy in these countries.

According to David Marcus, head of Facebook messenger, “We are committed to making Messenger the best, and most reliable way to communicate in the world for everyone. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce the launch of Messenger Lite. A lightweight, and basic version of Messenger for people,who still own older Android devices (think 2009-2011) that have less available “disk” space, memory, and lower performing CPUs, and that often run on lower bandwidth connections.

David Marcus, Head of Facebook Messenger

The application will be launched in these five countries first because Facebook claims they have a larger number of Messenger users than any other country in the region. But, as mentioned earlier, Messenger Lite will arrive in other emerging markets as well, very soon.

This is the second “lite” application launched by Facebook after the company released a “Facebook Lite” application for people whose smartphones are not capable enough to run the full-fledged version of the application in August 2009 only to announce again on April 20, 2010, that support for the “lite” service had ended and that users would be redirected back to the normal, full content, Facebook website. The service was operational for only eight months. It was however reintroduced in June 2015.

However, there are doubt that there would be an iOS version of the application since android has dominated the “emerging markets”.