Many people get their news from social media, but it seems they are not as enchanted by news apps released by the social networks themselves. Facebook this week began alerting Notify users that its real-time, notification news app is shutting down.

"We're transitioning parts of Notify into other Facebook products [like Messenger], and the app will no longer be supported," the message said, according to TechCrunch.

Launched in November, the standalone app let users subscribe to "stations"—sports, entertainment, politics, gaming, fashion, etc.—and receive notifications from those sources on their phone's lock screen.

Apple iPhone owners could choose three or more stations, including CNN Breaking News, The New York Times Read of the Day, The Weather Channel Daily AM Forecast, CBS Sports Team News, FOX News Politics, Fandango's Hot New Trailers, Vogue's The 10 Best Dressed, Daily Meditation from Headspace, and more. The app also offered suggestions based on your Facebook profile.

The service, which let users save content for later and share favorite notifications, was aimed at helping folks stay on top of things they care about at a glance.

"With more than 900 million people using Messenger each month, we think there is a great opportunity for publishers to reach even more people interested in real-time updates from their favorite sources," Facebook told TechCrunch.

In comparison, Notify counted fewer than 5,000 app downloads in six months, according to mobile intelligence start-up SensorTower.

Facebook did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.

Last year, Facebook also pulled the plug on its experimental Creative Labs, which produced standalone apps like Rooms, Riff, and Slingshot.