Let's face it: almost everyone uses Facebook Messenger, and it's not far-fetched to claim that this is the most popular Messaging service right now. However, some people feel that its frequent updates seem to be about adding fluff that has actually nothing do with the business of reaching out to people.
Messenger, without all the bloat
Enter Facebook Messenger Lite. This app is everything you could want in a messenger, stripped of all the fluff. That's it. That statement should already tell you that this app is worth a try.
Say hello to efficient messaging, and messaging alone.
Say goodbye to customized chat colors, wallpapers, themes, and obnoxious, oversized emoji. Unless you're a fan of all these things, then you will find Facebook Messenger Lite a breath of fresh air.
It's a relief from all the bloat that we experience in the full version, which some people have a love-and-hate relationship with. Besides the excess data consumed, most people don't even need the miscellaneous "utilities" that come with it! It's easy to imagine how the Lite app is a welcome addition to any device that supports it.
An experience long overdue
In a report by The Verge, columnist Vlad Savov relates his horrible experience with the full Messenger platform. He states that a lot of things he can do without are forced into the app.
There are "extensions, Stories, customizable chat colors, animated and oversized emoji, scannable profile codes. You can even order an Uber and "play chess while you wait."
It seems to be a good thing on paper. But it's a mess when one has to wade around a flood of menus just to find the switch that turns off the notification sounds.
Savov does admit that this is a design idea that makes sense from a business standpoint. And he says that he really has no choice but to use Facebook Messenger because, hey, everyone else does. It would be a hassle to use anything else.
But when Facebook Messenger Lite arrived, his problems with the platform went away.
"With Messenger Lite, I still have a full suite of emoji at my disposal, I still get delivery and read receipts, and I can still like and reply to a message directly from the Android notification," Savov says.
He also mentions that voice messaging and photo sharing is still very much available. Group chat is also supported, and so are voice calls.
Facebook Lite is a good app not only because of its purpose to reducing bandwidth costs. The streamlined, minimalist experience also helps people focus on what really matters, which is being connected.
