Facebook has finally released Messenger Lite in the United States. You may have already sideloaded Messenger Lite by now, but it's good to know it's now officially available from the Google Play Store. Unfortunately for Apple fans there are currently no plans to bring Messenger Lite to iOS.

Tech companies are obsessed with reaching as many people as possible. But there's no point embarking on a global expansion if the product you're offering isn't accessible to all. Which is why lightweight versions of existing apps -- such as Facebook Lite, Twitter Lite, and Skype Lite -- are popping up everywhere. And Messenger Lite is now available even in the good ol' US of A.

A Slimmed-Down Alternative to Facebook Messenger

Last October, Facebook launched a new version of Messenger. Called Messenger Lite, this slimmed-down alternative to Facebook Messenger was primarily aimed at people in developing countries. Because Messenger is a bloated monster that doesn't play nicely with old or underpowered Androids.

Messenger Lite is designed to offer the core components of Messenger without the unnecessary bloat that drags it down. This means the initial install is smaller, and the app itself will run faster, even on cheap Android handsets. Messenger Lite also won't eat your battery as greedily as I eat pizza.

We gave Messenger Lite a positive review at a time when it was only available in Kenya, Tunisia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Venezuela. However, we also told interested parties outside of those countries how to manually download Messenger Lite using an APK file. And plenty of people did just that.

In April 2017, Facebook expanded the availability of Messenger Lite to over 150 more countries. But the United States and others were missing from the list. Now, as first spotted by TechCrunch, Messenger Lite has become available in the U.S., the UK, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland.

Download Messenger Lite From the Google Play Store

This means there's no longer a need to sideload the lightweight version of Messenger. Instead, you can download and install Messenger Lite directly from the Google Play Store. Just don't hold your breath waiting for it to appear on iTunes, as Facebook currently has no plans to bring the app to iOS.

Have you already switched from Messenger to Messenger Lite? If so, why do you prefer the lightweight version? If you're new to Messenger Lite are you going to try it out? Or are you happy with the fully fledged version of Messenger? Please let us know in the comments below!