September 17, 2023, 7:08 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Almost everyone uses messaging apps at least occasionally to chat with friends, colleagues, and family. Although WhatsApp is among the largest services, there are many alternatives. However, one of them is now being discontinued.
After six years, Meta is pulling the plug on Messenger Lite. The service launched in Germany in April 2017 as a streamlined alternative to Facebook Messenger, which has been around since 2011. Compared to the full-featured program, the Lite version requires significantly less storage space on smartphones and responds a bit faster due to its leaner structure. However, users have to forgo some features. Facebook, or Meta as it has been known for some time, hardly marketed Messenger Lite, often promoting the “full” Messenger instead. Now, the Lite version is being completely discontinued.
Messenger Lite to Be Discontinued Mid-September
Meta informs users of this step directly when they open the app. Those who start Messenger Lite see an information page indicating that the service will no longer be available as of September 18. “We know your chats are important to you. That’s why all chats from Messenger Lite will still be available in Messenger,” Meta continues.
By tomorrow at the latest, users will need to switch from the Lite version to the full Messenger. All previous chats will be automatically transferred. Those who do not wish to install the app can only access their chats via the desktop version of Facebook. When accessing Facebook on a smartphone, users are also directed to the Messenger for chatting.
Messenger with Some Critical Access Permissions
Messenger Lite is no longer available in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Only the Messenger is listed. On both platforms, the service is rated moderately–3.8 (Google) and 3.9 (Apple) out of 5 stars. Users mainly criticize the declining performance after updates and some discontinued features.
We took a closer look at the access permissions of both Messengers and found some differences that do not reflect well on the Messenger compared to Messenger Lite. The Messenger, which will be the only alternative for Facebook chat from mid-September, is not only more feature-rich but also takes more liberties. This becomes particularly evident when comparing the app permissions of both services side by side.
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For example, compared to the Lite version, the Messenger can directly call phone numbers, read, receive, and send SMS, access the user’s exact location, download files without notification, and view various connections on the smartphone and change basic settings. Additionally, the Messenger collects financial data, described in the Google Play Store as “user payment information, past purchases, credit scoring, and other financial data” and in the Apple App Store simply as “Other Financial Information.”
Those concerned about data protection should carefully consider whether to download and use the Messenger on their smartphone. Although WhatsApp is also part of Meta, users do not have to grant such extensive access permissions. For those who want to be completely safe, specially protected messengers like Threema or Signal are recommended for communication. Alternatives to WhatsApp are discussed in more detail in another article.