Facebook introduced a lightweight version of its Android app earlier this year, and the social network is now doing the same for its messaging platform. Messenger Lite is designed to work on basic Android phones with limited memory and processing power, and in areas with slow internet connectivity.
Much like Facebook Lite, the goal with the barebones Messenger Lite is to get people in developing countries communicate with ease. The app comes in at 10MB, and lets people text and share photos and links over 2G connections. Users can view stickers, but there's no option to send or download stickers. Messenger's more advanced features, like chatbots, are missing from this version.
The app will debut in Kenya, Tunisia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Venezuela, and will make its way to other countries at a later date. The app isn't live yet on the Play Store, but it should be available for download in the afrementioned markets later today.
