Bye bye Messenger Lite… Meta kills off its lightweight, simplistic messaging app

Meta has delivered a blow to all those who love minimalistic design and bloatware-free software by killing off Messenger Lite.

The lightweight messaging app was created for those users who have limited data or those who simply seek a minimalist approach to communication. Messenger Lite was all of that, lightweight in functionality and size, without missing out on the core features of the app without any added drama.

But unfortunately, its days under the Sun have come to an end, a fate all good things have to suffer.

According to Reddit reports, this miniature version of the giant Messenger app is no longer available on the Play Store. And those users who were using Messenger Lite have reported receiving notifications, pushing them towards the Facebook Lite app.

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Even though it is also a “Lite” app, it lacked certain features that made Messenger Lite a favorite among users.

To begin with, Facebook Lite lacks the much-appreciated video calling feature and some users have also found its mechanics a bit difficult to follow as sent messages reportedly don’t always get sent.

This is only one of the blows Meta has planned for its users. Recently, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company announced its plans to phase out SMS support on the Messenger app by September 28 this year.

The SMS support was initially integrated with the Messenger app in 2012, before being retracted in 2013 and reintroduced in 2016.

While Messenger Lite lacked certain features, such as the reply function, its user base considered it a boon for being straightforward and providing only what is essential.

Even though Meta hasn’t made any formal announcements, Messenger Lite’s departure has been in the making for some time now as users voiced concerns over the notification announcing the app’s discontinuation. The persistent notification was similar to the one that users received when the Messenger app was first segregated from the Facebook app, forcing people to install the then-new app.

The reason behind Meta’s decision could be as simple as directing the crowds toward its main Messenger app. Meanwhile, those who are living in denial and are hesitant about migrating to Facebook Lite can still access their messages by navigating to Facebook on a browser for the desktop site.