Facebook Lite is a stripped-down version of Facebook designed for users with limited internet speeds and device storage. Since launching in 2015, Facebook Lite has provided a basic Facebook experience for hundreds of millions of users around the world. But with Facebook’s focus shifting over the years, some users wonder if Facebook Lite is still being supported in 2023.
The Purpose of Facebook Lite
Facebook launched Facebook Lite in 2015 to target two main groups of users:
- Users in emerging markets with limited data plans and slower mobile internet speeds
- Users with low-end devices that couldn’t run the standard Facebook app well
By slimming down the main Facebook experience, Facebook Lite removed data-heavy elements like HD videos and high-res photos. This allowed the app to load faster and run more smoothly on cheaper devices with slower connections. Facebook Lite takes up less than 1MB of space, versus around 100MB for the main Facebook app.
Facebook saw a major opportunity to expand its reach through Facebook Lite, especially in developing countries where average internet speeds were still relatively slow in 2015. India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil and African nations were key targets for Facebook Lite in its early days.
Key Features of Facebook Lite
Although stripped back, Facebook Lite contains the core Facebook features:
- News Feed for scrolling through updates
- Ability to post text updates, photos and links
- Notifications and messages
- Events and profile pages
- Access to groups
However, Facebook Lite does omit or reduce some features to save space and data usage. For example:
- No games, gameroom or stickers
- No ability to search for people or Pages
- Lower quality photos and videos
- Less personalization options
Despite the limitations, Facebook Lite provides the essential Facebook experience in a tiny package. And it loads quickly even on a 2G mobile connection.
The Growth of Facebook Lite
Within its first year, Facebook Lite saw impressive growth:
- 100 million downloads in India alone by November 2015
- 200 million MAUs worldwide by Q1 2016
- 300 million MAUs by Q3 2016
This initial hype proved Facebook was filling an important niche – especially in emerging countries where regular Facebook struggled due to bandwidth constraints. Facebook Lite became the gateway to basic Facebook access for many people getting online for the first time.
But how has Facebook Lite grown since then? Let’s look at some key stats:
| Year | Facebook Lite MAUs |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 300 million |
| 2017 | 200 million |
| 2018 | 188 million |
| 2019 | 140 million |
| 2020 | 132 million |
Based on this data, we can see that Facebook Lite usage peaked around 2016-2017 at over 200 million MAUs. Since then, global numbers have declined year-over-year to around 130 million MAUs in 2020.
However, Facebook stopped reporting standalone stats for Facebook Lite in 2020. So it’s hard to confirm exact user figures over the past few years.
Why Did Growth Slow After 2017?
There are a few possible reasons for Facebook Lite’s decline in recent years:
- Global internet speeds have increased – reducing need for stripped back version in many regions
- Facebook’s focus shifted to its main app and other products like WhatsApp
- Emerging markets gained access to cheaper smartphones capable of running regular Facebook
In essence, a big chunk of Facebook Lite’s initial target market outgrew the need for a lightweight Facebook experience. The app achieved its purpose for a time, but market conditions changed.
Is Facebook Lite Still Supported in 2023?
Short answer – yes, Facebook Lite still exists and appears to be supported. But it’s no longer a major focus for Facebook.
The Facebook Lite app remains available and functional in 2023 on both iOS and Android. The last updates came in March 2022 – relatively minor bug fixes.
Facebook’s teams still occasionally promote Facebook Lite, such as this 2022 post reminding users in Asia Pacific it’s a good option for low connectivity:
However, Facebook Lite is never mentioned in Facebook’s earnings calls or major announcements these days. User numbers are no longer reported either.
In 2022 filings, Facebook stated its ‘other products’ category (including Facebook Lite) makes up less than 1% of total ad revenue. So Facebook Lite likely has tens of millions of users left, but it’s insignificant to Facebook’s bottom line.
Is Facebook Lite Being Phased Out?
Facebook hasn’t announced plans to shut down Facebook Lite. But its declining user base and lack of visibility suggest Facebook isn’t investing much into its development.
Facebook Lite served its initial purpose in 2015-2017 when mobile internet remained expensive and slow in emerging markets. But as global connectivity improves, the rationale for Facebook Lite diminishes.
Users in developing countries now tend to get regular low-cost smartphones capable of running the main Facebook app. And Facebook has shifted focus to its family of apps tailored to different markets, such as:
- WhatsApp – messaging
- Messenger – messaging
- Instagram – photos/videos
Moving forward, it seems Facebook Lite will remain available but receive minimal updates. Facebook may eventually pull the plug once usage dwindles further – but there’s no timeline on this happening yet.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Facebook Lite exploded in popularity in 2015-2017 as a lite Facebook app for emerging markets
- However, growth stalled after 2017 as market conditions changed
- Facebook Lite still exists in 2023 but has limited visibility or investment from Facebook at this point
- The app seems to be in maintenance mode and may eventually be phased out
- But regular updates and user support continue for now, with tens of millions still using it
So while Facebook Lite never became Facebook’s next billion-user product, it served an important purpose for a time. And it remains a functional, if forgotten, option for anyone wanting a basic Facebook experience today.