Facebook closes its 'Lite' site

Seven months after Facebook launched its 'Lite' site – a simplified version of the site that was more accessible on mobile phones and in markets where bandwidth is slow - the social networking giant has reportedly closed its service.

The site, which rolled out in the US and India in August as an attempt to eventually bolster Facebook’s presence in emerging markets, sought to rival Twitter as users could view friends’ updates as they happen in real time and also included upload capabilities for smaller pictures and lower-resolution videos, allowing it to achieve its ‘lighter’ status.

Facebook posted a note on its fan page that said the company “learned a lot from the test of a slimmed-down site” without offering further details on its decision. According to the post, users that used Lite will now be taken to the main Facebook.com site.

The shut down comes after Facebook launched its first office in India. Last month, Facebook’s website listed job postings for ad- and sales-account managers in Singapore and Sydney.

At the time of Lite’s launch, users anticipated the service would benefit users in Asia’s emerging markets and strengthen the brand across the region.
Lite found popularity in many markets. Commenting on Facebook’s fanpage, hundreds voiced their protest at the announcement to drop Lite.