Meta’s Messenger Lite App Will Shut Down Next Month

Meta has begun informing Android users that its Messenger Lite app will soon be shut down completely. This probably doesn’t mean much within the broader scheme, and can probably have fairly limited impact, given the expansion of network technology.

As first reported by 9 to five Google, Messenger Lite users on Android at the moment are seeing a brand new pop-up message within the app informing them that it can be sunset as of September 18th. Messenger Lite on iOS was shut down back in 2020.

As per 9 to five Google:

“For some, opening the app today reveals a fullscreen “use Messenger to maintain chatting” prompt. There shall be no impact to conversation history: ‘We all know your chats are essential to you, so all the pieces from Messenger Lite continues to be available in Messenger.‘”

So, plainly, given the advancement of connective networks, Meta sees little use to maintain supporting the separate Messenger Lite app, which is designed for users with limited device space, and low connectivity, so as to connect them into the broader Meta network.

Originally launched in 2016, Messenger Lite reached 50 million Google Play Store downloads only a 12 months later, underlining the demand for a lo-fi version of Meta’s messaging platform in various regions. But six years on, and with mobile adoption continuing to rise, plainly there’s no use for the separate version of the platform anymore, with more people now capable of use the full-functioned Messenger app to interact in digital chats.

We asked Meta in regards to the decision, and it provided this statement:

“Starting August 21, people using the Messenger Lite app for Android shall be directed to Messenger or FB Lite to send and receive messages on Messenger.”

So pretty short on detail, but Meta continues to be supporting Facebook Lite as an option, at the least in the meanwhile.

As noted, the impact will likely be minimal, given the broader expansion of more advanced options, nevertheless it is price noting the change in Meta’s product direction.

Meta, after all, can also be looking to cut back costs wherever it may, and it could possibly be that the lesser-used Messenger Lite is solely not well worth the investment anymore.

So more people shall be on Messenger as an alternative, while Facebook Lite could see an influx of users. As noted by TechCrunch, Meta can also be shutting down support for SMS on Messenger next month.