Facebook has launched Messenger Lite in South Africa, which enables users with slower or limited internet connections to access instant messaging.
South Africans sure do love WhatsApp, and perhaps our second favourite vice is Facebook’s other darling, Messenger. For those of us with limited data plans, accessing such services can be a chore – but now Facebook has endeavoured to bring Messenger Lite to our shores.
What’s Messenger Lite? You might remember it for cracking past 200 million downloads; the app is a lighter take on Facebook’s full Messenger client and is designed to function in parallel to Facebook’s Lite app on mobile operating systems.
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Facebook’s commitment to those of us with limited data connections is visible from the get go – the Lite variant of Messenger weighs in at less than 10MB, and will enable users to send photos, texts and links to either core Messenger or Messenger Lite users.
Messenger Lite was first tested in Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Venezuela, and is designed for older phones with less RAM and processors not on par with present mid-range to flagship phones.
Prior to arriving in South Africa, the service’s last update brought Lite to more regions around the world, including South Korea, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Italy.
The arrival of Messenger Lite on our shores stems from part of Facebook’s ongoing commitment to connect the wider world through pared down app offerings, its Internet.org program, and even ambitious projects such as its Aquila drone.
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What are your thoughts? Do you plan on using Messenger Lite to save on your data costs? Be sure to let us know your opinion in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
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