• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, October 3, 2016

In its bid to bring precious, lifesaving cat videos to consumers in emerging markets, Facebook has given top priority to reducing the data demands associated with its core products, bowing to the reality of limited cell access in many developing countries. In its latest push to expand availability, Facebook has introduced a streamlined version of the Messenger app, called “Messenger Lite,” complementing its Facebook Lite service.

Like the more data-intensive original version, Facebook Messenger Lite enables users to communicate with each other via text, photos, and stickers without excessive data demands, making it suitable for users with older smartphones or areas with slower networks. However, it doesn’t offer full support for other features, including chatbots or Messenger for Business, its commercial service.

According to the Financial Times, which first reported the news, Messenger Lite will debut in Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Venezuela before rolling out more broadly. According to the latest figures from Facebook, for March 2016, its Facebook Lite product has attracted 100 million monthly active users around the world.

Meanwhile, TechCrunch reports that Facebook is also experimenting with a new feature replicating some of the selling points of its popular rival Snapchat. The new service, called “Messenger Day,” allows users to share photos and videos that will be automatically deleted within 24 hours.

Currently being tested in Poland, Messenger Day further resembles Snapchat with functionality that lets users modify images and video with filters and stickers, as well as text or their own drawings. Facebook is targeting the tests to markets where Snapchat hasn’t established a foothold. However, there’s no guarantee that Facebook will roll out the service globally, especially given the fate of its previous experiments with ephemeral messaging services, like Quick Updates and Slingshot.