Facebook closes down Facebook Lite seven months after launch

Facebook has pulled the plug on its Lite site aimed at users with slow or poor internet connections seven months after it was launched.

On a note its posted on its own fan page, Facebook thanked users and said it had learned a lot from the test of the slimmed down site.

Users of Facebook Lite had a limited number of options like writing on their wall, posting photos and videos, viewing events and browsing other people's profiles. The site feature no applications or special boxes.

Facebook, however has not offered any reason as to why the site was closed down.

Despite its stripped down experience Facebook Lite had its own fan community which liked it because it was avoiding pollution of the network by countless other games and quizzes preferring to limit focus on the primary use of the site profile, friends and messages.

Facebook Lite was also geared for emerging markets like India which offers limited broadband access. Analysts say, in the context of the immense popularity of Facebook in countries these countries, the decision to close down the site seems particularly difficult to understand.

At the time it was launched, the company described Facebook Lite as a "lighter cousin" of the main site that would provide a "faster, simpler way to keep in touch with your friends." Industry observers at the time speculated that Facebook Lite could emerge as a better fit for mobile devices or could transform into a microblogging service to take on Twitter.

Lite's end follows two months after introduction of a redesign of the main site that allowed easier navigation around the social network. Among the changes introduced were putting some of Facebook's more commonly used areas, including pages, status updates and links, in a more prominent location.