SMS messaging is not a new technology. The first text message was sent over 20 years ago, and since then, its worldwide presence has skyrocketed. More than 8 trillion messages were sent in 2013, and the numbers are expected to keep growing in both 2014 and 2015.
But, why is that so? Surely, specialised IM (instant message) apps are cheaper and more flexible. Mobile e-mail has been present for many years as well.
Why, then, is SMS still the biggest messaging medium in the telecommunications industry? Why, with all the technological breakthroughs in the last decade, SMS continues to grow? The answer is actually really simple. SMS is more than a technology or a tool. It has become a way of thinking, an integral part of our lives. It’s familiar, intimate. It’s completely platform, operator, and handset independent. Despite its shortcomings, it continues to be most popular because it’s comfortable.
