Facebook has just presented the world with a new Messenger Lite app, one that is specifically targeted for users who are on low bandwidth connection and those who own older smartphones.
The description of the app is stripped-down, which means it does not have the bells and whistles that could eat up precious data or bog the connection down. The company is not talking about the elimination of simple features such as emojis. You may not know it, you who are suffering LTE speed and anticipating next-generation internet connectivity, but Messenger has really become riddled with features that weigh the app down.
For instance, Facebook has just recently introduced opinion polls to Messenger. You would also notice that you have been enjoying video call functionality for some time. For the teeming millions who are still using 2G and 3G technologies, those features collectively make the Messenger experience close to unbearable. This is why Facebook downgraded it into what it calls as Messenger Lite.
Aside from the absence of the previously mentioned features, the app has also shed animated GIFs and VoIP support. The application is, therefore, perfect for slower connections and older phones.
For users worrying whether they will be downloading a barebones Messenger, you need not worry. It still has essential features that provide the core Messenger services such as chat, stickers and the sending of photos and links.
Messenger Lite is currently available in Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Venezuela. It will be rolling out in other countries soon. There is also a possibility that Messenger Lite, believe it or not, will also be coming to the United States. Despite the permeation of mobile devices with high specifications, Facebook notes that there are people who still use antiquated phones and do not see sense in having to upgrade handsets every year.
"There are lots of places [where] people actually don't care," David Marcus, vice president of messaging products at Facebook told TIME. "Communication is such a primary thing that you need to do, that we wanted to make sure that everyone has access to Messenger."
The introduction of the Messenger Lite, which is currently available for android devices, can be phrased within Facebook's continuing initiative of expanding the platform's reach. It has, for example, teamed up with various countries and organizations to provide free internet through its Internet.org program.
The Messenger app is considered one of the most important platforms that drive Facebook's growth. Currently, it has been downloaded by more than 1 billion users around the world but reports indicate that the app is being used by a meager 9 percent of the people in the Asia-Pacific region.
