Facebook adds video to Messenger Lite

Facebook extended the functionality of Messenger Lite, a version of its messaging app for Android devices used in markets with slow internet speeds, with the addition of a video chat option.

“Video chats are an expected and essential part of everyday communication in today’s messaging experience…Now people who use Messenger Lite can have the same rich and expressive face-to-face conversations as those who use the core Messenger app, no matter which technology they use or have access to,” Facebook said in a blog post.

It added 17 billion video chats were conducted in Messenger in 2017, twice as many as in 2016.

The lite version of the app is less than 10MB in size, which Facebook said makes it quick to install and start. It includes core Messenger features including sending and receiving photos and links, and receiving stickers.