Facebook activates video calling for Messenger Lite

Social media giant Facebook has announced the rollout of video chat on Messenger Lite, a slimmed down version of Messenger for Android that offers the core features of the app to users of older Android devices and/or slower internet connections.

"Video chats are an expected and essential part of everyday communication in today's messaging experience. Chatting face-to-face live is perfect for those moments when you want to see and hear the voices of people you care about most - whether you're wishing someone a happy birthday, you have some great news to share, or you spontaneously want to catch up on the day," a blog penned by Facebook noted.

The makers, in the blog, further stated that those who have the latest version of Messenger Lite may test the new feature by opening an existing conversation or find the desired person they may wish to chat with and tap the video icon appearing on the upper right corner of the screen. One may also upgrade an audio call to a video chat while still in the call by tapping the video icon present in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Video chats, in the present day, have become increasingly popular, particularly when one remains away from his/her home for a long time span.

In 2017, Facebook revealed that 17 billion video chats were made via Messenger, which is twice as many video chats made in 2016. With the new update, users of Messenger Lite can also avail the same benefits as those using the core app.

On a related note, Messenger Lite, which was launched in 2016, offers core messaging capabilities like sending text, photos, links, and audio calls to people with either the lighter version or core app. The size of the app is under 10MB, thereby enabling fast installation and start up.