Meta has announced the shutdown of the popular lightweight messaging app Messenger Lite on Android starting September 18, 2022. This Messenger Lite shutdown comes after years of the app serving users looking for a streamlined messaging experience on low-end Android phones.
Messenger Lite was launched by Meta (formerly Facebook) in 2016 as an optimized iteration of Messenger for entry-level smartphones with limited storage and processing capacity. With the shutdown imminent next month, nearly 760 million users globally will have to switch to the main Messenger app for uninterrupted messaging access.
In-App Notifications Inform Users of Messenger Lite Shutdown
Users of Messenger Lite on Android have already begun receiving in-app notifications informing them about the discontinuation. The message urges them to “use Messenger to keep chatting” once the Messenger Lite shutdown date of September 18th is reached.
The lightweight messaging app has also been removed from the Google Play Store, preventing any new downloads. This Messenger Lite shutdown announcement gives existing users a brief transition period to move their messaging activity to the main Messenger application.
Messenger Lite Provided Optimized Messaging on Low-End Phones
Messenger Lite was designed to offer a streamlined messaging experience on budget Android smartphones with limited storage and slower processors. At under 10MB, Messenger Lite took up significantly less space compared to the over 100MB Messenger main app.
The lightness allowed Messenger Lite to work smoothly on phones with less RAM and dated Android versions. It focused on essential messaging features like text, photos, and voice messages but excluded games, bots, etc. present in the full Messenger.
Developing Markets Drove Messenger Lite’s Popularity
As per data.ai, Messenger Lite has seen over 760 million downloads globally since its launch. The lightweight nature made it hugely popular in emerging markets like India, Brazil, and Indonesia where lower-end Android devices still prevail.
Of its total user base, the highest proportion of Messenger Lite users was in India – around 440 million. Brazil accounted for over 56 million downloads making it the second largest market.
Ongoing Revamp of Meta’s Messaging Products
The impending Messenger Lite shutdown comes alongside other changes being made by Meta to streamline its messaging services portfolio. Messenger also announced the discontinuation of SMS support in the app from September 28th.
Meta is focusing on enhanced privacy, security, and more immersive messaging experiences going forward. The overhaul seems to have made the stripped-back Messenger Lite redundant leading to its imminent shutdown next month.
Switch to Main Messenger App Recommended
With the Messenger Lite shutdown looming, existing users should migrate to the mainstream Messenger app soon. Though the full app demands more resources than Messenger Lite, it provides the complete messaging suite plus additional features.
This transition is essential for those dependent on Messenger Lite for their daily communication needs. Failing to install the main Messenger app prior to September 18th risks permanent loss of chat history and messaging access after the Messenger Lite shutdown.
Messenger Lite shutting down marks the end of the popular lightweight messaging app many came to rely on. As Meta streamlines its messaging strategy, migration to the fuller-featured Messenger is now necessary for billions of users to keep chatting uninterrupted.
The move highlights Meta’s focus on privacy-centric, visually engaging messaging experiences going forward. For now, users have limited time to preserve their chat history by switching to Messenger before Messenger Lite shuts down permanently.